Chapter 85 - The Teacher Won't Criticize You

Following Shen Yiqiu to the audience area of the class, Tang Huaijin was immediately greeted with a round of applause from his classmates. In high school, the sense of class honor among students was still strong, and coupled with Tang Huaijin’s good popularity, the previous love letter incident hadn’t affected him much. So, facing the hero who brought the class to victory, his classmates were generous with their praise.

Tang Huaijin smiled warmly, thanking his classmates. His smile was gentle and bright, full of youthful energy, which made the older sister with the camera nearby watch him with shining eyes, her fingers constantly pressing the shutter.

Some of the girls in the class were no exception, and a few bold ones blushed, trying to muster the courage to give him a bottle of water. But seeing the three girls walking alongside him, they retreated in disappointment.

One was gentle and graceful, another cute and spoiled, and the last pure and charming. In front of these three beauties from Rose Elite High School, the other girls felt somewhat inferior and quickly dismissed their thoughts.

Lin Ruoxi was the first to approach Tang Huaijin, smiling as she said, “Jin, you’re amazing. Have some water.” With that, she handed him a bottle of sports drink.

Before Tang Huaijin could take it, Xia Xinya also pulled a bottle of cola from her small bag and handed it to him, glancing at the smiling Lin Ruoxi with some dissatisfaction, and said in a spoiled voice, “I originally bought this for myself, you rascal. But since you did well, I’ll give it to you.”

Looking at the two bottles of drinks in front of him, Tang Huaijin was momentarily at a loss. He hesitated, then decided to accept both, smiling awkwardly, “Thank you both.”

Lin Ruoxi playfully scolded Tang Huaijin with a glance and said, “Jin, drinking carbonated drinks after exercising isn’t good for you. You should have the sports drink I prepared.”

What do you mean carbonated drinks aren’t good? That’s her favorite cola!

Xia Xinya frowned, pouting, “You rascal, don’t drink sports drinks. They’re full of hormones and even worse for you.”

“So, Jin, which one will you drink?” Lin Ruoxi ignored Xia Xinya and just looked at Tang Huaijin, smiling lightly.

“Hmph.” Xia Xinya snorted coldly. Although she didn’t say anything, the threat in her eyes was clear.

Seeing the two about to argue again, Tang Huaijin felt a headache coming on. To be honest, he was indeed a bit thirsty, but he didn’t dare drink either bottle.

Bai Yuerou, who had been quietly watching Tang Huaijin, spoke up to help him out, handing him a bottle of water with a gentle smile, “Xinya, Xi, stop arguing. Just drink water.”

Tang Huaijin’s eyes lit up, and he gratefully accepted the water, unscrewing it to take a sip. He smiled, “Indeed, water quenches thirst. Thank you, Yuerou.”

Yuerou was indeed considerate, understanding, and able to help him out of a bind, much better than those two constantly bickering girls.

Bai Yuerou smiled gently, saying nothing more.

Seeing Tang Huaijin drink the water Bai Yuerou gave him, Lin Ruoxi felt a bit uncomfortable but didn’t think too much of it and could accept it.

Xia Xinya felt similarly. After all, Bai Yuerou was her best friend, and as long as Lin Ruoxi didn’t succeed, it was fine.

Lin Ruoxi noticed the fine layer of sweat on his forehead, her eyes brightening. She took out a wet wipe from her pocket and moved closer to wipe his sweat.

Holding Tang Huaijin’s jacket, Shen Yiqiu stood not far from them, watching as Tang Huaijin accepted each bottle of water, her eyelids twitching. Seeing Lin Ruoxi about to wipe his sweat, she couldn’t hold back any longer and said coldly, “Tang Huaijin, come here!”

Hearing her voice, Lin Ruoxi instinctively withdrew her hand, and Tang Huaijin’s expression froze. He awkwardly walked over to Shen Yiqiu and asked, “Teacher Shen, what’s up?”

Shen Yiqiu squinted at the two bottles of drinks in his hand and the bottle of water tucked under his arm, speaking in a bland tone, “Nothing, come with me.”

With that, she turned back to the class, announced their dismissal, and then led Tang Huaijin to the office.

In the office, Shen Yiqiu sat down first, removing her outer suit to reveal a white shirt with a rose embroidered on the chest. She pulled over another chair, tossed Tang Huaijin’s jacket onto it, and said calmly, “Close the door and sit here.”

Tang Huaijin obediently closed the door and sat beside Shen Yiqiu.

Shen Yiqiu studied him for a moment and softly asked, “Didn’t I tell you to keep your distance from other girls? Three bottles of water, you’re something.”

After he left, Shen Yiqiu let out a long breath, touched her slightly warm face, and her gaze instinctively fell on the jacket he had forgotten to take in his haste.

After he left, Shen Yiqiu let out a long breath, touched her slightly warm face, and her gaze instinctively fell on the jacket he had forgotten to take in his haste.

Tang Huaijin looked a bit embarrassed, placing the drinks on the table, “But when someone gives me water, I can’t just not accept it, Shen-Jie.”

Hearing this, Shen Yiqiu couldn’t really blame him. She glanced at the drinks on the table and said lightly, “These drinks aren’t good for your health.”

“It’s okay, I have water.” Tang Huaijin smiled, taking out the bottled water from under his arm, ready to take a sip.

Shen Yiqiu frowned slightly, her almond-shaped eyes narrowing as she looked at Tang Huaijin, her tone a bit displeased, “Water’s not good either.”

Tang Huaijin: “…”

“I mean, drinking water isn’t the best choice.” Shen Yiqiu’s expression was a bit unnatural. She took a bottle of drink from her bag and handed it to him, “Drink this glucose drink. It’s common knowledge to replenish sugar after exercising.”

Tang Huaijin hesitantly accepted the drink, unscrewing the cap and taking a sip under Shen Yiqiu’s watchful gaze.

Only then did Shen Yiqiu nod slightly in satisfaction. Seeing the fine sweat on his forehead, she hesitated for a moment before softly saying, “You’re sweating.”

With that, she took out a handkerchief and gently began to wipe the sweat from his forehead.

As Shen Yiqiu leaned closer, a faint fragrance wafted over, causing Tang Huaijin to instinctively lean back, pressing against the edge of the desk.

“Don’t move.” Shen Yiqiu frowned slightly, gently scolding him as she leaned in, her upper body almost pressing against him.

Tang Huaijin didn’t dare move at all because Shen Yiqiu was so close, the rose on her shirt was almost touching his face.

Watching this breathtaking scene, Tang Huaijin felt both pain and joy, trying hard to suppress the turmoil in his heart as Shen Yiqiu’s soft hands gently wiped his neck.

Whether intentional or not, Tang Huaijin felt a warm, moist breath on his neck, making him feel ticklish inside.

“Shen-Jie, that’s enough. I didn’t really sweat that much,” Tang Huaijin said, pressing his dry lips together awkwardly.

Running five kilometers was easy for him, and he hadn’t even exerted himself fully. Although he did sweat a bit due to the body’s mechanisms, it wasn’t much, just a little on his forehead. Yet Shen Yiqiu had been wiping for a long time.

Shen Yiqiu merely responded with a soft sound, her hands not stopping, as if her hand slipped, and the handkerchief fell, her soft fingers directly touching his skin.

Her slightly trembling hand was warm, softly resting on his neck, and a slight blush appeared on Shen Yiqiu’s face.

Tang Huaijin’s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly leaned back, picking up the handkerchief that had fallen on his lap and handing it to Shen Yiqiu, awkwardly saying, “Shen-Jie, your handkerchief.”

Shen Yiqiu’s breathing was a bit uneven, her almond-shaped eyes showing a hint of grievance, her red lips parting slightly, “Are you afraid of me?”

“…” After a moment of silence, Tang Huaijin nodded lightly.

“Why?” Shen Yiqiu’s voice was filled with confusion, looking at Tang Huaijin with a hint of dissatisfaction.

Clearly, you wrote about a seductive older sister.

Tang Huaijin hesitated for a long time, sighed, and honestly said, “Shen-Jie should be aware of her own charm. It’s better to keep a distance from me; I’m afraid of making mistakes.”

Hearing this answer, Shen Yiqiu’s expression visibly froze, but after realizing it, she pressed her lips together, her mood improving, a slight curve forming at the corner of her mouth. After a moment of silence, she softly said, “Sometimes, making mistakes is okay. The teacher won’t criticize you… You can go now.”

“…”

“…” Tang Huaijin’s mouth twitched uncontrollably, his Adam’s apple bobbing unnaturally. Not daring to ponder the meaning of her words, he quickly got up and left the classroom.

After he left, Shen Yiqiu let out a long breath, touched her slightly warm face, and her gaze instinctively fell on the jacket he had forgotten to take in his haste.