Chapter 121
Their dress rehearsal was scheduled for the afternoon. Shen Shuyu sat on a bench below the stage. The rehearsal venue was the auditorium where the school’s internal awards for the Survival War had been held. This auditorium was huge, more than enough to hold the entire school.
Their number was quite far back. Having woken up too early, Shen Shuyu couldn’t help yawning. Wen Jiafei, sitting next to him, glanced at him, reached into his pocket, and fished out two mint candies.
Shen Shuyu felt someone touching his shoulder. Turning his head, he saw the mints. Shen Shuyu took one unceremoniously and asked, “Where did you get these?”
After all, Wen Jiafei didn’t look like someone who loved candy.
“Given by the nurse sister.” Wen Jiafei tore open the wrapper of the other one and put it in his mouth.
Shen Shuyu nodded. So that’s it.
He popped the mint into his mouth. As it dissolved, the icy sensation indeed refreshed him a lot. Shen Shuyu kicked the chair in front of him. The person sitting there felt the vibration and turned back asking, “What’s up, Shuyu?”
“How much longer?” Shen Shuyu asked.
Feng Xing looked at the rehearsal schedule in his hand and counted. “Excluding this one, there are five more. Including this one, six.”
Each department’s time on stage, from prop placement to performance, took at least fifteen minutes. That meant over an hour to go.
Shen Shuyu sighed. “Then I’m going to the restroom to get some air.”
Feng Xing made an ‘OK’ gesture. “Go ahead.”
Shen Shuyu turned to look at Wen Jiafei. Wen Jiafei was reading his book seriously. He had wanted to ask if he wanted to go, but thinking the other was an Alpha, inviting an Alpha to the restroom together felt a bit weird for an Omega.
He stood up and left the auditorium by himself.
Shen Shuyu didn’t rush back after leaving the restroom. He stretched and looked around. Since winter began, it was mostly rainy or snowy. Sunlight like today’s was rare on Amor.
Shen Shuyu found a bench and sat down, leaning back and squinting at the sun. The sunlight dispelled some of the chill, making his whole body feel warm.
He opened his eyes and checked his watch. It was about time; he should go back and wait.
Shen Shuyu stretched again. Just as he was about to stand up, he spotted a small ginger cat out of the corner of his eye.
It was hiding in the bushes nearby, its round eyes watching him.
“Mimi.”
Shen Shuyu squatted down involuntarily, extending a hand and beckoning. “Little ginger cat, come here, let me pet you.”
The ginger cat meowed and came out of the bushes cautiously. Only then did Shen Shuyu realize something was wrong with its left hind leg.
It dragged its leg over and rubbed its head against Shen Shuyu’s fingertips. It was slightly wet, though he didn’t know where it came from. Shen Shuyu smoothed its fur down from its head and could feel its body trembling slightly.
“Poor little thing.” Shen Shuyu scratched its chin. The ginger cat let out a purring sound like a starting motorcycle engine.
After being petted a couple of times, it lay down comfortably, letting Shen Shuyu pet it however he liked.
“Such a good temper,” Shen Shuyu muttered. He tentatively picked the cat up. The cat lay quietly in his arms. He looked at his watch. “I’ll help you today.”
The cat looked up at him and meowed softly, as if agreeing.
Shen Shuyu remembered there was a pet shop not far from the school gate. Checking the time, he saw he still had enough. He could drop the cat off, pay, and leave; checking on it after he finished would be fine.
Having made up his mind, Shen Shuyu headed quickly for the gate. Within ten minutes, he appeared at the pet shop. After explaining the situation to the doctor, he paid a sum of money and left.
Coincidentally, just as he pushed open the glass door, Feng Xing called. “Two more until us. When are you coming back?”
“On the way back,” Shen Shuyu said. “Don’t worry.”
He hung up. Suddenly, someone behind him bumped into him. He almost dropped his terminal. After fumbling to save it, Shen Shuyu looked up at the man who bumped into him.
The man was dressed all in black. Despite the freezing winter, he wore thin clothes, and his whole demeanor seemed gloomy. He looked at Shen Shuyu with a very strange gaze.
For some reason, Shen Shuyu’s heart thumped wildly. Warning bells rang in his mind. He felt an inexplicable, intense unease about this man.
Fortunately, the man just glanced at him and said hoarsely, “Sorry.”
After apologizing, he continued walking forward.
Truly strange.
The unease in Shen Shuyu’s heart wasn’t dispelled by the apology. He rubbed his chest. It was really weird; this was the first time he felt such strong anxiety.
Watching the man’s retreating back, he shook his head, trying to shake the uneasy emotion out of his body.
Shen Shuyu took a deep breath and focused on walking back into the school.
Entering the school gate, Shen Shuyu felt a bit better. As he walked toward the auditorium, passing the path where he met the cat, he saw Shen Xili and… that man?
Did they actually know each other?
Shen Shuyu stood there, confused. However, looking at Shen Xili’s expression, he seemed extremely impatient. Just as Shen Shuyu prepared to turn toward the auditorium, the man said something, and Shen Xili immediately turned and grabbed him by the collar.
The man, however, smiled and pried Shen Xili’s fingers off one by one, speaking to him.
Unfortunately, the distance was too great, and Shen Shuyu couldn’t hear what was being said.
After speaking, the man left in the opposite direction of the auditorium. Shen Xili stood alone, head bowed, his expression unclear, thoughts unknown.
The uneasy emotion gradually filled Shen Shuyu’s heart again. He raised his hand to cover his chest. It was really strange; he desperately didn’t want Shen Xili to have contact with that man, and even felt an urge to tear that man apart upon seeing him.
Shen Shuyu took a deep breath, walked over, and called out, “Shen Xili.”
Shen Xili looked up. His expression was blank for a moment, but it soon relaxed.
Shen Shuyu looked in the direction the man left; the figure was no longer visible.
Shen Xili asked, “Weren’t you in the auditorium?”
The Reserve Department had a mandatory class today, so he and Chi Yanxun had arrived late.
Shen Shuyu said, “Just picked up a cat and sent it to the pet shop outside school.”
Shen Xili nodded and didn’t say more. The two walked shoulder to shoulder toward the auditorium. Shen Shuyu stole a few glances at Shen Xili and pretended to ask casually, “By the way, when I came over just now, I saw you talking to someone. Who were you talking to?”
Shen Xili turned his head, meeting Shen Shuyu’s gaze briefly before looking away. “Asking for directions.”
Asking for directions?
That excuse was too far-fetched. They were about to fight, and he called it asking for directions?
Shen Shuyu couldn’t help letting out an “Eh.” Hearing it, Shen Xili asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Shen Shuyu thought to himself, If you’re going to make an excuse, find a suitable one. Asking for directions is too perfunctory.
Although he thought that, Shen Shuyu said, “No, just thought that person really isn’t afraid of the cold. Wearing such thin clothes in the middle of winter.”
Shen Xili’s expression turned colder. “Maybe he likes that feeling.”
After all, madmen love doing baffling things.
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