There’s always something off when things get too quiet.
On Sunday evening, when Guan Ren strolled leisurely into the classroom carrying two pork floss scallion oil buns, he immediately sensed that something wasn’t right.
Silence.
It was too quiet.
Granted, there weren’t many students in class to begin with.
But some of the usual noisy characters—like Xu Hui from Group 2, and Chen Yaozu and Du Zihan from Group 3—were now all quietly hunched over their desks reading or writing. Not a single idle word was exchanged.
“…”
The moment Guan Ren noticed this, he instantly reined in the swaggering gait he’d used to enter and slowly shifted his gaze toward the back of the classroom…
Smack!
“Erye!”
“?!”
Suddenly, a hefty slap landed on Guan Ren’s back. Liu Xiong barged in with an even more obnoxious swagger and threw an arm around Guan Ren’s shoulder, grinning as he showed him the webpage on his phone.
“Erye, look! You looked so badass the other day, I went and played a few rounds of Riven this afternoon. Found this guide online, it says here…”
“Ahem! Cough cough!”
“? What’s up? Choked on crap or something?”
“Cough!”
“?”
Guan Ren kept coughing and throwing meaningful glances. At first, Liu Xiong was confused. Then a chill ran down his spine.
Ma... Masaka...
Following Guan Ren’s gaze, Liu Xiong turned his head toward the back row.
And just like that, any lingering hope died a tragic death.
There, in the narrow aisle between Groups 1 and 2, Li Min’s icy gaze was sweeping over the entire class.
She looked like a black widow lying in wait at the center of her web, ready to pounce on her prey.
That was the reason for the unusual silence in the room.
Li Min didn’t waste any words. She silently walked over and extended a hand adorned with bright red nail polish toward Liu Xiong.
A million metaphorical horses galloped through Liu Xiong’s heart. As cocky as he’d been walking in, he was now just as dejected. Obediently, he handed his phone over to Li Min.
“Come with me.”
Liu Xiong followed her out.
The classroom erupted. In an instant, the usual rowdy energy returned.
“Hahaha! Brother Xiong! Hahaha!”
“That’s his second phone this month, isn’t it?”
“Brother Chi, I’ve got a feeling—you’re next.”
“Get lost! Don’t jinx me…”
---
Most schools strictly prohibited students from bringing phones.
After all, this was still an era where mobile devices and digital payments hadn’t fully caught on. Students with phones rarely used them for anything proper. It was usually just novels and games.
However, Jiangzhou County No. 2 High School was relatively lenient. They were stricter with day students, but boarding students were given a bit more freedom.
Even among day students, as long as they didn’t get caught during class or weren’t on the “blacklist,” most teachers turned a blind eye. Like if they caught someone briefly checking their phone on the way to class, they usually let it slide.
But being on the blacklist was a different story.
Take Zhang Chi and Liu Xiong, for example—these two veterans had long mastered the art of grinning at their crotches mid-lecture. They were top-tier offenders.
For guys like them, even if Li Min heard a rumor, she’d be raiding their desks like it was a full-blown investigation.
Of course, there were exceptions.
For instance, Gu Youli also had a phone.
At first, people liked to joke about it. Typical good student privilege, or perks of being a teacher’s kid.
But now that they were in their second year, everyone had matured a bit. They realized Gu Youli simply had self-discipline. Aside from the occasional call or text, she never touched her phone during class.
So, no teacher bothered her about it.
---
Tap tap tap…
When Guan Ren returned to his seat, there were still fifteen minutes until the first evening study session. Rarely enough, his deskmate Gu Youli was typing something on her phone.
She typed rather slowly, which Guan Ren found just perfect—easy to appreciate.
Not the typing itself, of course.
But the graceful, fair fingers doing the typing.
As he munched on his pork floss bun, Guan Ren admired them unabashedly.
Tap tap tap…
He kept watching. And after a while, his gaze grew so blatant that Gu Youli began to sense it. At first, she stole a few glances from the corner of her eye, but eventually, she turned and looked straight at him.
“Guan Ren.”
“Mmph?”
With his mouth full of bread, Guan Ren had a bad feeling. Staring at his deskmate’s hands like that was definitely crossing a line. He quickly swallowed and prepared to explain, only to realize she had a different concern entirely.
“Was I being too loud?”
“Loud? What do you mean?”
“The typing.”
She held up her phone.
Her phone was clearly better than Liu Xiong’s. At least it ran the latest Android 2.3 system. It was an HTC smartphone with a generous 4-inch screen and a sharp 480×800 resolution.
From his distance, Guan Ren couldn’t see clearly, but it looked like she was replying to messages on QQ. While typing, the phone made the default clicking sounds with each keystroke.
Gu Youli had assumed that Guan Ren was staring because of the noise.
“Sorry about that.”
---
Sister Gu remained as polite as ever, though her expression showed a hint of awkwardness.
“This sound… I don’t think it can be turned off. I…”
“You can turn it off.”
“You… can?”
“Of course. It’s in the settings.”
Judging by her reaction, Guan Ren figured she probably wasn’t the tech-savvy type, so he offered help enthusiastically.
“Give me your phone, I’ll do it for you.”
He reached out his hand. Gu Youli hesitated for a moment, then pressed the home button and was just about to hand it over, when Guan Ren pulled his hand back.
“Wait a sec.”
He first wrapped up the packaging of his pork floss bun and placed it on the desk.
Then he took out some tissues and carefully wiped the hand he had used to hold the bun.
Finally, he extended his hand again.
“Okay, give it here.”
“…”
Gu Youli glanced at him, her eyes flickering slightly, then passed the phone over.
“Thanks.”
“No need. Remember what I told you last Friday? Unless it’s something serious, let’s not say thanks anymore. We’re seatmates, after all.”
As he rambled, Guan Ren navigated into the settings.
“Look, here it is. ‘Keyboard & Language.’ Tap this, and… see? Now there’s no more typing sound.”
“So that’s how it works.”
Now enlightened by this “advanced tech,” Gu Youli wore an expression like she’d just discovered a new continent. After taking her phone back, she began tinkering with it herself.
“Settings… Keyboard… Input method…”
Each time she touched the screen, her pretty fingers would shrink back timidly, then stretch out again to tap.
That cautious little gesture immediately reminded Guan Ren of a gif he’d seen before. Of a kitten pawing at a ball of yarn. He couldn’t help but smile.
Getting to watch this catlike deskmate’s adorable reactions up close—what a lovely experience…
---
Once she’d adjusted the settings, Gu Youli resumed replying to messages on QQ.
[Little Pear Blossom]: I’m full. The iced pear vinegar noodle soup tonight was delicious. Thank you, Sister.
A reply came almost immediately.
[Big Orange]: That’s all you ate? Are you sure you’re not still hungry?
[Little Pear Blossom]: Really not hungry. Evening study is about to start. Talk later.
After sending that last message, Gu Youli turned off the screen and slipped the phone into her desk, looking a little troubled.
She’d only eaten half a bowl of noodles again tonight. Normally, that was enough to get by.
But her sister kept pestering her, insisting she hadn’t eaten enough, repeating it over and over in messages. Now, Gu Youli actually did feel kind of…
Grrr~
She touched her flat stomach.
Uh-oh. It was growling.
---
Ears were made for listening. So naturally, if a stomach growled, someone might hear it.
Normally, stomach growls were clearest only to the person they belonged to. Guan Ren was merely glancing at his deskmate out of mild curiosity when he spotted her hand on her belly.
There were only two possibilities: either she was in pain, or she was hungry.
Judging by her expression, it was hunger.
So, Guan Ren handed over the untouched second bun.
“Here.”
“?”
Gu Youli looked at him, a bit surprised. Guan Ren continued munching his own bun while earnestly recommending.
“It’s really good. Give it a try.”
She shook her head.
“I’ve already had dinner. I’m not hungry. You eat it.”
“I know you’re not hungry.”
Guan Ren nodded solemnly, not even blinking.
“It’s just that I can’t finish it myself and wanted Sister Gu to help me out.”
“…”
Can’t finish it?
Last Friday night he had devoured two hamburger buns and still complained they were too small…
“I’m really thirsty today. Planning to drink a lot of water later. Too much bread will make me bloated.”
He fabricated the excuse without a hint of guilt, flowing smoothly.
“The box is already open, and it won’t keep well. Come on, help me out. Thanks!”
“…”
Hadn’t he just said seatmates shouldn’t say “thanks”? And now here he was breaking the rule himself…
Such a double standard.
But faced with this double-standard deskmate, Gu Youli’s heart strangely fluttered with an emotion she couldn’t quite name. In the end, she took the bun and took a small bite.
“Hehe, good, right?”
“Mm.”
She nodded, eyes drifting slightly. Gazing at the bun in her hand, she murmured thoughtfully.
“It’s… kind of sweet.”
“?”
Sweet?
Guan Ren’s ears perked up, puzzled.
Wasn’t this pork floss bun… supposed to be salty?