22: Chapter 22 Mu Qing's Disturbed Heart

Inside the restroom stall, Mu Qing's eyes were wide open.

She admitted that she did have some feelings for Su Bai, but that didn't mean... he could force himself on her in public, right!

This... this was progressing way too fast!

She instinctively tried to struggle, but Su Bai lowered his head, brought his lips close to her ear, and lowered his voice to a whisper:

"Shh—"

Mu Qing froze, lifting her flushed little face.

She blinked, her eyes full of questions: What are you doing?

Su Bai didn't explain; he just held up a finger to his lips and pointed toward the next stall.

Seeing this, Mu Qing couldn't help but prick up her ears, holding her breath as she listened intently.

A stifled moan came from next door, followed by a boy's low, heavy breathing.

In this situation, Mu Qing's face turned bright red instantly.

She understood!

She understood completely!

No wonder Su Bai wouldn't let her speak.

This was just too awkward!!

Her body stiffened in place, not knowing whether to be angry, shy, or pretend she hadn't heard anything at all.

She was still clutching her badminton racket, her knuckles turning white from the force.

The stall was very small.

So small that with two adults standing inside, there was almost no extra space.

Su Bai leaned against the door, and Mu Qing stood facing him, trapped between his arms.

As a gentleman, to avoid touching her, he had to spread his arms and brace them against the partitions on either side, leaning his body slightly backward.

But this position was even worse.

From Mu Qing's perspective, it looked as if she were being held in Su Bai's embrace.

His broad shoulders blocked the door, and his warm breath cascaded down from above, mixed with a faint post-exercise sweat and the scent of some clean laundry detergent.

Her face turned even redder.

She tried to shuffle back a bit, but there was a partition behind her; she had nowhere to retreat.

She tried to turn sideways, but the narrow space meant that even the slightest movement caused her to bump into Su Bai.

Su Bai took a deep breath and growled lowly,

"Hiss—don't move around!"

Seeing this, Mu Qing could only nod obediently.

She had no choice but to stand there, held in Su Bai's embrace, listening to the sounds from next door while feeling his body heat enveloping her from all sides.

Her legs felt a bit weak.

Of course, it wasn't from fear...

It was that indescribable, unfamiliar feeling that made her heart race.

It was like... the urge to use the restroom.

Wait, no! She had come here to use the restroom in the first place!

Mu Qing shifted her legs, wanting to change her stance.

But the stall was too small; as soon as she moved, her thighs, covered by yoga pants, brushed against Su Bai's legs.

She stopped immediately, freezing as if she had been petrified.

Su Bai looked down at her.

Her eyelashes were trembling, and the tips of her ears were red enough to bleed.

She bit her lower lip, trying hard to look calm, but her hand, tightly gripping the racket, betrayed her.

"Stop moving, just hold on for a little longer," Su Bai whispered.

Mu Qing nodded, the movement so slight it was almost imperceptible.

The sounds next door continued.

The girl's voice was intermittent, as if she were trying hard to suppress herself from making too much noise.

The boy's breathing grew heavier, mixed with a few garbled whispers.

Mu Qing closed her eyes.

She chanted in her heart: I can't hear it, I can't hear it, I can't hear it...

But she heard it all too clearly.

Every syllable drilled clearly into her ears!

Especially being in such a tiny space with Su Bai, listening to such lascivious sounds together!

Her legs started to feel weak again.

To maintain her balance, she had to press her hand against the partition behind her.

The racket leaned in the corner, making a slight clattering sound.

Su Bai still maintained that position, arms braced, body leaning back, trying hard to leave her space.

But he found it was futile; whenever he breathed, he could smell the faint scent of sweat and body wash on her.

The atmosphere grew increasingly subtle.

Mu Qing secretly opened one eye and looked at Su Bai.

He was tilting his head slightly, looking at the ceiling, his expression so calm it was as if nothing were happening.

Mu Qing couldn't help but think: How is he so calm?

Little did she know, Su Bai was also enduring a great deal of difficulty at that moment!

Suddenly, the commotion next door grew louder.

The girl's voice stopped abruptly.

The boy let out a low, stifled groan.

Then, it became quiet.

Inside the stall, only heavy breathing and the rustling sound of clothes being tidied remained.

Mu Qing's face was red down to the roots of her neck.

She lowered her head, staring at her toes, pretending to be dazed.

Two minutes later, the door to the next stall opened.

Footsteps went from near to far, gradually disappearing outside the restroom door.

After waiting another minute to confirm that those two had left, Su Bai finally released his hands from the partition.

"It's okay now," he said, trying to use a normal volume.

At this moment, his body was slightly hunched forward, not daring to stand up straight.

Too embarrassing!

An eighteen-year-old body was simply uncontrollable!

Mu Qing lifted her head, the redness on her face not yet faded.

Su Bai opened the door, stepped out first, and scanned the inside of the restroom; it was empty.

"Come out."

Mu Qing walked out with her head lowered, still clutching that badminton racket.

The two stood at the entrance of the restroom, neither speaking.

Then, after exchanging a glance, they tacitly went back to use the restrooms.

Damn! Almost forgot what I came here for!

The sunset had completely faded, and only the dim yellow light of the street lamps remained on the playground.

The sound of dribbling echoed from the distant basketball court, and the evening breeze blew past, carrying the chill of deep winter.

After coming out of the restroom, Mu Qing saw Su Bai waiting for her at the door.

She walked over slowly, her voluptuous thighs under her yoga pants trembling with each step.

She looked at Su Bai, her lips moving as if she wanted to say something.

"Um..." she began.

"Don't say it," Su Bai interrupted her.

Mu Qing was stunned for a moment.

"Just pretend it never happened."

Su Bai said decisively,

"You didn't hear anything, and I didn't hear anything."

Mu Qing looked at him, silent for a few seconds.

Then she said with a slightly strange expression,

"I'm a girl and I haven't even said anything yet, but you're already trying to avoid suspicion..."

Su Bai didn't seem to expect her to say that, and suddenly said, reckless with his words,

"Then what do you mean?"

Mu Qing rolled her eyes at him, full of charm.

She said: "Are you a boy or not, being such a coward!"

Oh?

Su Bai couldn't take this.

"Whether I'm a boy or not, didn't you feel it just now?"

"You—what nonsense are you spouting!"

Mu Qing's face instantly became scorching hot; she pouted, wanting to retort, but couldn't bring herself to say it out loud.

So she turned to leave, but after taking two steps, she stopped again.

"Su Bai," she said, not turning back,

"See you tomorrow."

"Sure."

Mu Qing's silhouette disappeared at the end of the street lamp's light.

Su Bai stood in place, watching the direction she left in.

The evening breeze blew, carrying the scent of the rubber track from the playground.

He couldn't help but think of the scene in the stall just now.

Mu Qing's flushed ear tips, trembling eyelashes, and her legs that felt weak despite her trying to stand straight.

He shook his head; he couldn't let his mind wander anymore.

Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to stand up straight and walk!

He picked up his schoolbag from the bench and walked toward the school gate.

After taking just two steps, his phone vibrated.

It was a WeChat message from Mu Qing:

[If you dare to tell anyone about today, I'll kill you!]

Followed by a dripping blood knife emoji.

Su Bai looked at the message, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

He replied:

[Forget it!]

[I'm afraid you won't be able to help yourself from talking!]

The other party replied instantly:

[Of course I won't say anything!!!]

[I'm not stupid!]

Su Bai put his phone back in his pocket.

As he walked out of the school gate, the street lamps just happened to turn on.

The orange light spilled onto the street, and pedestrians returning home hurried by.

Su Bai quickened his pace and headed toward the subway station.