165: Chapter 164 The Bold Xin Yaoqiao

In the morning, when Su Bai arrived at school, the early self-study session had not yet begun.

He walked into the teaching building, heading down the corridor toward the classroom. As he passed the boys' restroom, a hand reached out from inside and grabbed his wrist.

Before he could even react, he was dragged inside.

The restroom door closed. The lights were off, and only a little light filtered in through a small window, casting a grey gloom over the sinks and urinals. The air smelled of disinfectant.

Su Bai looked at the person in front of him—Xin Yaoqiao. She wore her hair in two ponytails, a white sweater, a grey pleated skirt, white stockings, and small black leather shoes.

She leaned against the door, hands behind her back, looking up at him with an upturned smile.

"What are you doing?" Su Bai asked, surprised and suspicious.

Xin Yaoqiao's eyes brightened. "Waiting for you."

Su Bai looked at her. "Why wait for me?"

Xin Yaoqiao took a step forward, leaning in close. She placed her hands on his shoulders, stood on tiptoe, and pressed her lips against his ear. Her voice was as light as the wind. "What do you think?"

Su Bai didn't say anything.

Xin Yaoqiao took a step back, tilting her head to look at him. "Su Bai, did you not miss me?"

Su Bai said no.

Xin Yaoqiao pouted. "Then why haven't you come to see me lately?"

Su Bai said he was busy.

Xin Yaoqiao looked at him for a few seconds, then pouted even more. "What kind of business? Did you go looking for other women again?"

Su Bai didn't say anything.

Xin Yaoqiao waited a while, but when she didn't get an answer, she laughed to herself. "Fine, I won't hold it against you."

She reached out, grabbed his collar, pulled him closer, stood on tiptoe, and kissed him.

Her lips were soft and cool, with the sweetness of strawberry candy.

Su Bai put his arm around her waist. Her waist was very slender, and through her thin sweater, he could feel the warmth of her skin.

Xin Yaoqiao closed her eyes, her hands climbing onto his shoulders, fingers threading into his hair and tightening.

The restroom door behind them made a slight sound.

She turned him around to face the door, her hands pressed against it.

Xin Yaoqiao bit her lip to keep from making a sound.

Xin Yaoqiao's breathing became rapid. Her fingers gripped the door, her knuckles turning white, and sounds were squeezed from her throat—very light, very suppressed.

Footsteps and voices came from the corridor outside, growing closer.

Xin Yaoqiao's body stiffened, and Su Bai stopped too.

Neither of them moved; they held their breath, listening to the commotion outside.

The footsteps stopped at the restroom door.

Someone pushed the door, but since Xin Yaoqiao was leaning against it, it wouldn't budge.

The person outside pushed again, but it still wouldn't open.

"Is this door broken?" a boy's voice asked, and then another voice said it might be locked.

The footsteps faded away, and the voices grew distant.

Xin Yaoqiao let out a long breath, her whole body going limp as she leaned against the door.

Su Bai held her from behind, not letting go.

She turned her head to look at Su Bai, her face flushed, her eyes glistening. "That scared me to death," she whispered.

Su Bai didn't say anything, his hand patting her waist gently.

Xin Yaoqiao's breathing slowly steadied. She turned around to face him and buried her face in his chest.

Su Bai looked at her and smiled.

Xin Yaoqiao smiled too, stood on tiptoe, and kissed his cheek.

Footsteps were heard outside again, this time from many people, talking and laughing.

Xin Yaoqiao's body stiffened again, and she looked at Su Bai with wide eyes.

Su Bai pulled her into the innermost stall, closed the door, and locked it.

The two of them squeezed into the tiny stall, their bodies pressed together.

Xin Yaoqiao buried her face in his chest, not daring to make a sound.

The people outside came in, talking and laughing.

Someone lit a cigarette; there was the sound of a lighter—ding—and then the smell of smoke drifted in.

Someone leaned against the door, making the door panel vibrate, and Xin Yaoqiao's body shivered along with it.

Su Bai held her, patting her back gently to signal her not to be afraid.

The people outside were talking, chatting about games, about losing their ranked matches yesterday, and about which heroes were strong and which were weak.

Someone said they wouldn't reach the King rank this season, and someone else said, "You were never going to make it anyway."

A few of them laughed, their voices loud, echoing in the restroom.

The smell of smoke grew stronger, mixing with the scent of disinfectant, making it a bit choking.

Xin Yaoqiao buried her face in Su Bai's chest, not daring to look up. Her fingers gripped his clothes so hard her knuckles turned white.

Su Bai looked down at her; her ears were red, flushed from the lobes to the tips.

He reached out and stroked her head. She looked up, meeting his eyes, which held fear, nervousness, and something else.

The people outside finished their cigarettes, washed their hands, and left, still talking and laughing.

The footsteps faded away, and the voices grew distant.

The restroom became quiet, with only the buzzing of the exhaust fan.

Su Bai pushed open the stall door and led Xin Yaoqiao out.

Xin Yaoqiao leaned against the wall and let out a long breath. "That scared me to death," she said, her voice still trembling.

Su Bai looked at her. "Who told you to come to the restroom to find me?"

Xin Yaoqiao pouted. "I missed you."

Su Bai didn't say anything.

Xin Yaoqiao walked over and took his hand. "Alright, don't be angry. I'll be careful next time."

Su Bai looked at her. "You want there to be a next time?"

Xin Yaoqiao smiled, stood on tiptoe, and kissed his cheek. "No, just this once."

The bell for class rang outside, very loud, echoing in the corridor.

Xin Yaoqiao let go of his hand. "Class is starting, you should go back."

Su Bai nodded, opened the door, and walked out.

The corridor was empty, and he walked quickly back to the classroom.

The math teacher was lecturing. Seeing him enter, the teacher paused for a moment but didn't say anything.

Su Bai sat back in his seat, and Li Longyu was looking down at a book.

Mu Qing sat in her seat, her pen drawing something on paper.

Liu Hao turned around from the front seat, pushed up his glasses, his mouth open as if he wanted to say something, but he didn't dare.

Su Bai took out his textbook, flipped to the page the math teacher was teaching, and looked for a while, but couldn't focus.

When class ended, Xin Yaoqiao sent a message: "Next time I'll find a better place."

Su Bai looked at the words but didn't reply.

It buzzed again. "Are you angry?"

He still didn't reply.

It buzzed again. "Alright, alright, my bad. Next time, not at school."

Su Bai typed a few words: "We'll see."

Xin Yaoqiao replied with a smiley face immediately.

At noon, Su Bai went to the cafeteria to eat.

After getting his food, he carried his tray and found a corner to sit in.

He had only taken a few bites when someone sat down opposite him.

Mu Qing was carrying a bowl of noodles with a lot of chili, the broth red.

She picked up her chopsticks, lifted a portion of noodles, blew on them, put them in her mouth, chewed, and swallowed.

Su Bai ate his meal, and neither of them said anything.

Mu Qing ate a few bites of noodles, put down her chopsticks, and looked at Su Bai.

"Su Bai."

"Yeah."

"Where did you go this morning?"

Su Bai said he went to the restroom.

Mu Qing looked at him. "You were there for so long?"

Su Bai nodded.

Mu Qing looked at him for a few seconds, then lowered her head and continued eating her noodles.

Su Bai looked at her. "What do you want to ask?"

Mu Qing shook her head. "Nothing."

She lifted a portion of noodles, put them in her mouth, chewed, and swallowed.

"Su Bai."

"Yeah."

"Did Xin Yaoqiao come to see you today?"

Su Bai looked at her.

Mu Qing also looked at him, her eyes bright, reflecting the cafeteria lights and her own shadow.

"Yeah," Su Bai said.

Mu Qing nodded and lowered her head to continue eating her noodles.

She ate very slowly, picking at them one by one; the noodles were almost cold, and she still hadn't finished.

After school, Su Bai saw Xin Yaoqiao at the school gate.

She was standing by the side of the road with a pink backpack, holding an ice cream and licking it.

When she saw Su Bai come out, her eyes brightened, and she waved at him.

Su Bai walked over.

Xin Yaoqiao held the ice cream in her mouth, freeing up her hand to tug at his sleeve.

"Take me home."

Su Bai looked at her. "Don't you have a driver?"

Xin Yaoqiao pouted. "The driver took the day off. Are you taking me or not?"

Su Bai didn't say anything and walked toward the parking lot.

Xin Yaoqiao smiled and followed behind him.

Once in the car, Xin Yaoqiao sat in the passenger seat, took off her shoes, and curled her legs up on the seat. Her white stockings shimmered slightly in the setting sun.

She leaned back against the seat, licking the ice cream in her hand.

Su Bai started the engine, and the car drove out of the parking lot.

Xin Yaoqiao finished the last bite of ice cream, threw the wooden stick into the trash bag in the car, and wiped her hands.

She looked at Su Bai. "Su Bai."

"Yeah."

"Did you find it exciting in the restroom today?"

Su Bai didn't say anything.

Xin Yaoqiao laughed. "I thought it was quite exciting."

Su Bai glanced at her. "What if we had been discovered?"

Xin Yaoqiao pouted but didn't say anything, turning back to look out the window.

The car stopped in front of Xin Yaoqiao's house.

She pushed open the car door, got out, walked two steps, then turned back, bending over to lean toward the car window.

"Su Bai."

"Yeah."

"Do you want to come in and sit for a while?"

Su Bai said no.

Xin Yaoqiao pouted but didn't say anything, turning and walking away.

Her two low ponytails swayed behind her head.

Su Bai sat in the car, watching her back disappear into the villa entrance, then started the engine and drove out of Bixian Lake.

PS: After this book spent time in the penalty box a few times, it hasn't had much traffic. I've started a new book, everyone is welcome to check it out; it's on this same account. Thank you, thank you!