The Silent World And Him - Chapter 15

When Pu Chen saw Zhao Shu at the library entrance, she felt relieved. With Zhao Shu around, there would never be an awkward silence; she could be assured of lively conversation. The ride here with Peng Jingyang was almost silent; being together with someone unfamiliar and having little to talk about was agonizing. Pu Chen waved to Zhao Shu from a distance. The three entered the library lobby.

“Chen Chen, let me carry your backpack,” the enthusiastic Zhao Shu didn’t give Pu Chen a chance to refuse, taking the backpack off her shoulders and putting it on herself. “Oh my, is there iron in here? Why is it so heavy?”

Pu Chen smiled awkwardly, “Director Sun’s books are inside.” She reached out to take it back to carry herself.

Zhao Shu waved her hand, insisting, “I’ll carry it for you. You’re still growing. If it stunts your growth, it would be a big loss.”

In the classroom, Zhao Shu was the tallest girl, standing at 171 centimeters barefoot. She was slim, with a small face, giving off a delicate and agile vibe.

But that was her own feeling.

Every time Peng Jingyang heard her call herself petite, he would get goosebumps.

Pu Chen wasn’t short, but standing next to Zhao Shu, she was still six or seven centimeters shorter.

Today, Pu Chen wore a short white down jacket and tied her hair into a bun, making her swan-like neck appear even whiter and prettier. Her overall nimble beauty made people want to protect her, and Zhao Shu felt like an older sister who should take care of Pu Chen.

In the third-floor reading room, aside from a few staff chatting together, there was no one else.

The reading room was warm. Pu Chen took off her down jacket and draped it over the back of a chair.

Earlier, with Pu Chen wearing her down jacket, Zhao Shu couldn’t see the logo and pattern on her white sweater. Now suddenly noticing, she exclaimed, “I never managed to get this joint design hoodie! Chen Chen, where did you buy it?”

Pu Chen didn’t know what a joint design was and hadn’t paid much attention. “My aunt bought it for me.”

Last time she went home, her aunt bought her a large bag of winter clothes, including three white down jackets. Her aunt said each style was beautiful, and since Pu Chen had trouble choosing, she bought them all.

As for this hoodie, she just thought it was suitable for wearing indoors with air conditioning, neither too thick nor too thin. So today, she wore it under the down jacket without thinking it was a joint design.

Speaking of Pu Chen’s aunt, Zhao Shu had a deep impression. She had seen her once at the school gate and couldn’t forget her. Pu Chen’s aunt, like Pu Chen, was uniquely beautiful.

In Zhao Shu’s eyes, Pu Chen was the most beautiful girl in school, especially with her expressive eyes where all the best things resided.

Not only her, but whenever the boys in the class mentioned her, they would regretfully say if Pu Chen could talk more and wasn’t a bit aloof, they didn’t know how many people would pursue her.

Zhao Shu took out a few pieces of chocolate from her bag and stuffed them into Pu Chen’s pocket. She peeled one for herself and asked, “Is Auntie married?”

Pu Chen shook her head, hoping her aunt would meet someone who understood her.

Chewing on chocolate, Zhao Shu said, “I wonder what kind of man Auntie, such a great beauty, would like.”

Pu Chen also wondered. She had never seen her aunt’s boyfriend. Once she curiously asked, and her aunt joked, saying she didn’t have one and dreamed of meeting a domineering CEO every day.

She knew her aunt was joking to change the subject.

Since her aunt didn’t want to talk more about it, Pu Chen didn’t ask again later.

Zhao Shu was always outspoken. “I really want to be a matchmaker and introduce my Uncle Land to Auntie. Don’t you think Auntie and Uncle are a good match?”

In the blink of an eye, Lu Baisong changed from being a male god to an uncle.

“Zhao Shu, could you go find a book to read?” Peng Jingyang interrupted her mercilessly, somewhat helpless. “You keep talking. How can Pu Chen study?”

Zhao Shu, called out, rolled her eyes at Peng Jingyang.

Pu Chen smiled, “It’s okay, it doesn’t bother me.”

After being reminded by Peng Jingyang, Zhao Shu realized that Pu Chen had come to the reading room to study seriously, unlike her, who was just passing time under the guise of reading.

“Chen Chen, I’ll go look for books for you.” She picked up her phone and leisurely wandered towards the bookshelves.

Zhao Shu had no interest in any of the books and magazines in the reading room. If there were romance novels, that would be great. She casually picked up a magazine from the shelf.

Flipping through the magazine, Zhao Shu couldn’t focus. She lay bored on the table for a while, feeling restless, then picked up one of Pu Chen’s test papers and grabbed a piece of scratch paper.

Peng Jingyang watched her and asked, “What are you doing?”

Zhao Shu handed him her phone, “Take a few pictures for me. I want to show everyone in my circle how hard I’m studying. Did they really think it’s easy to improve one’s grades?”

She pulled out a pen from Pu Chen’s pencil case and began drawing on the scratch paper with her head lowered, looking serious.

After setting up the shot, Zhao Shu signaled, “Okay, go ahead and take the pictures.”

Peng Jingyang was speechless but had to comply; otherwise, Zhao Shu wouldn’t leave him alone.

He opened the camera and took a few random shots.

Zhao Shu took back her phone, checked the photos, and found them passable.

She picked two somewhat decent photos and posted them on her circle of friends with the caption: “Never thought I’d be so immersed in studying that no one noticed taking my picture (covering my face)”

Before anyone could comment on her post, she acted like a drama queen, replying to herself: “Yeah, that’s right, I’m here in the library with my classmates, studying.”

She must spread the word about her visit to the library during the holidays.

Not long after, Qin Yu gave her a like.

He left her a message: “Are you with Pu Chen?”

Zhao Shu replied: “Yes, we are both diligent students.”

Peng Jingyang was still explaining questions to Pu Chen. Zhao Shu felt bored and uneasy. If Qin Yu had come today, she might have had someone struggling with their studies to chat with.

She asked Qin Yu: “Are you coming? We can supervise each other’s studies.”

Qin Yu replied, “I’m not going. I don’t have time.”

At this moment, Qin Yu arrived at Lu Baisheng’s house. He took off his coat and hung it up.

Lu Baisheng closed the door. “I’ve found the magazines you want. They’re in the living room.”

Qin Yu acknowledged and headed towards the living room.

The house was over three hundred square meters, and Lu Baisheng lived alone. The decor was in cool tones, lacking any warmth.

Lu Baisheng handed him a bottle of soda and looked at him. “Did something good happen to you?”

Qin Yu pretended not to understand. “I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

Lu Baisheng saw through him. “Normally, you have a sour face when you see me, like I owe you money. Today, your face is almost beaming.”

Qin Yu didn’t respond. He didn’t even know when he started being so cheerful. Today, Zhao Shu also went to the library, not just Pu Chen and Peng Jingyang.

For some reason, he was in a great mood.

Leaning against the kitchen island, Lu Baisheng asked, “Didn’t you say you had figured things out? Why did you argue with your dad again yesterday?”

Qin Yu replied, “We didn’t argue. It’s just because I’m not going home for Chinese New Year; my dad is making a big deal out of it.”

Lu Baisheng was over a decade older than Qin Yu and belonged to a different generation. Some things couldn’t be explained to someone in their thirties to understand a sixteen-year-old.

Lu Baisheng seemed to chat casually. “Didn’t you decide to study hard next semester? What are your plans after school starts?”

Qin Yu sensed an underlying question. “Just say it if you have something to say.”

Since Qin Yu hinted at it, Lu Baisheng didn’t beat around the bush. “Are you not participating in next year’s competition?”

Qin Yu responded with a question, “Is my mom asking you to ask me that?”

Lu Baisheng didn’t deny it. “If you miss it again, you won’t catch up with your school applications. Applying to prestigious schools requires substantial qualifications, and participating in international competitions is one way.”

Qin Yu took a sip of water without a clear response to Lu Baisheng.

He planned to study abroad after high school graduation, including which school and major to apply for, already planned by his parents. Missing the competition in his first year of high school, temporarily transferring to a high school in Su City, was an unexpected twist in his life.

Meeting Pu Chen was also an accident.

Since he was entrusted with this, Lu Baisheng had to be loyal to the task. “If you have time during the winter break, you should start preparing. You’ve left those competition questions untouched for almost half a year. It takes some time to get into the right mindset.”

Qin Yu’s attitude was noncommittal. “Let’s see.”

“Read your magazine. I’m going to pack and head back to Beijing for a few days.” Lu Baisheng said as he walked towards the bedroom.

Qin Yu asked, “How many days will you be in Beijing?”

Lu Baisheng replied, “About three or four days. I’ll definitely be back before the New Year. I need to deal with some company matters and visit my grandfather; otherwise, they’ll say I’m unfilial.”

Qin Yu scoffed, “Whether you go home or not doesn’t matter. According to your family’s standards, not following the arranged marriage and coming to Su City to teach is the biggest act of unfilial piety.”

Lu Baisheng turned around, “Next time you’re in Beijing, go watch my grandfather’s class and tease him well. It’d be best if you could stump him speechless.”

Qin Yu remained silent.

Lu Baisheng entered the bedroom.

Qin Yu put down his soda and looked at the magazine. The weeklies from last year were piled on the coffee table.

He understood the magazine content but read slowly, spacing out for half the time.

In the afternoon, Qin Yu accompanied Lu Baisheng to the supermarket to buy New Year goods. He wasn’t interested in shopping, but Lu Baisheng insisted.

As the New Year approached, the supermarket was crowded these days, with items seemingly free.

Lu Baisheng picked up some vegetables in the fresh produce section and said to Qin Yu, “Pick what you want to eat.”

Qin Yu asked him, “Can you cook all these vegetables?”

Lu Baisheng replied, “I should be able to handle anything not too complicated.”

Stir-fried prawns in oil aren’t too complicated, right?

Qin Yu picked up two boxes of prawns and placed them in the shopping cart.

When Qin Yu was studying in Beijing, Lu Baisheng would take him out for meals when he had time. Lu Baisheng couldn’t remember what Qin Yu liked to eat, but he remembered what Qin Yu didn’t like.

He looked at Qin Yu curiously. “Don’t you dislike fish and shrimp?”

Qin Yu said, “Didn’t you used to find it annoying when people asked you to explain things?”

The person who hated explaining ended up becoming a teacher.

Neither of them continued that topic.

They moved on to the snack section.

Qin Yu rarely ate snacks now. “Buy whatever you want to eat. Just get me some drinks.”

Lu Baisheng’s arm was bumped by someone in the crowded supermarket. Thinking it was an accident, he didn’t turn around. He reached up to grab drinks from the shelf.

The next second, his arm was shaken again.

Lu Baisheng turned around, surprised to see Pu Chen and Pu Wanli. He smiled, “Are you guys also shopping here?”

Pu Chen smiled and nodded.

Lu Baisheng chatted with Pu Wanli. Qin Yu stood beside Pu Chen, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. She must like white. Last time at the arcade, she wore a white down jacket, but it was a different style from today’s.

In the group chat, Zhao Shu posted some photos of her and Peng Jingyang eating. It was at a restaurant opened last year with good dishes. She recommended a few dishes in the group.

Qin Yu asked Pu Chen, “Didn’t you go to the library with them in the morning? Why didn’t you join them for lunch?”

Pu Chen replied, “[After Peng Jingyang finished explaining the problem, I came back first.]”

Qin Yu looked at the photos Zhao Shu posted and said to her, “There’s braised shrimp you like.”

Pu Chen was surprised that he remembered her preferences.

When Qin Yu looked up at her, she gave him an incredulous look, caught in the act. Pu Chen quickly looked down at her phone to cover her embarrassment, “[I heard the shrimp at that restaurant is delicious too. I’ll go there sometime in the future.]”

Qin Yu nodded and asked her, “How much of your winter break homework have you finished?”

Pu Chen replied, “[Not much, I haven’t done your two English papers yet. Are you in a hurry?]”

Lu Baisheng, beside them, Qin Yu texted back, “[No rush, just finish them when school starts. If you do my homework, I’ll treat you to a meal.]”

Qin Yu then confirmed the time with her, “[When are you free? Tomorrow or the day after?]” to go to the restaurant Peng Jingyang and Zhao Shu went to today.

Since she likes the braised shrimp there, he’ll take her there.