Redemption from the Abyss: The School Beauty Insists on Pulling Me Out of the Mire

Chapter 25 The Library at Dusk

The next day, in the afternoon.

The training camp is now on track.

This reading room on the top floor of the library seems to be another space and time separate from the school.

The only sounds here are the faint hum of the central air conditioning and the scratching of a pen on paper.

The sunlight outside the French windows was a bit too bright, so Su Qinghe got up and pulled the blinds down halfway.

The dappled light and shadow were cut into strips, falling on the large solid wood desk and on the two people.

The table was piled high with draft paper and reference books.

The two were sitting facing each other, but at this moment, in order to solve a complex physics problem, Xie Wang had moved a chair and sat down next to Su Qinghe without anyone noticing.

The distance was brought very close.

Xie Wang was so close that his chin could touch Su Qinghe's shoulder when he lowered his head.

Look here.

Su Qinghe held a red pen in his hand, the tip touching the formula Xie Wang had just written, his voice clear and focused:

"The condition for conservation of momentum is incorrect. There are inelastic collisions in this system, so energy will be lost."

Her slender fingers rested on the white draft paper, her nails neatly trimmed and tinged with a faint pink.

Xie Wang, who was twirling the black pen in his hand, stopped when he heard this.

He leaned forward slightly, intending to modify the formula.

Just then.

Xie Wang's hand, holding the pen, inadvertently brushed against the back of Su Qinghe's hand, which was pressed against the paper.

The boy's palms were large and warm, with a few calluses; the girl's hands were delicate and slightly cool, like a piece of fine warm jade.

The instant skin touches.

Both of them felt as if an electric current had passed through them, and their movements paused simultaneously.

Xie Wang did not move away immediately.

He could even feel Su Qinghe's fingers curl slightly, but she didn't flinch.

The air became somewhat viscous at that moment, and even the sound of breathing seemed to be amplified.

Xie Wang's Adam's apple bobbed. His gaze shifted from the hand, moving upwards along her slender wrist to the side of her fair neck, and finally settling on her slightly pursed lips.

His voice was somewhat hoarse, carrying a hint of something indescribable:

"Teacher Su, your hands are quite cold."

Su Qinghe's eyelashes trembled.

She subtly withdrew her hand, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear to conceal the faint blush rising at the base of her ear.

"The air conditioning is set too low."

Her tone remained calm, but she didn't look Xie Wang in the eye again; instead, she pointed to the question:

"Stop talking nonsense and change it."

Xie Wang curled the corners of his lips, his eyes full of triumphant smiles.

"Okay, whatever you say."

He lowered his head and drew a heavy circle with the tip of his pen where her finger had just been, enclosing some incredible secret.

……

The two continued practicing their coding problems.

This subtle atmosphere persisted.

Although it wasn't explicitly stated, the touch of their fingertips when holding the eraser, and the occasional eye contact when they looked up, all carried an unspoken understanding that outsiders couldn't intrude upon.

until--

"Click".

The door, which was originally locked, was pushed open from the outside.

The barrier was finally broken.

"Ta-da! I'm here to be immersed in knowledge too!"

A cheerful voice rang out.

Lin Lu, carrying a schoolbag and holding three cups of milk tea and a large bag of snacks, hopped in like a happy little sparrow.

However, when she saw the scene inside the house, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.

Beside the desk where light and shadow intertwine.

The two people were sitting very close, almost arm to arm.

Lin Lu felt as bright as a multi-kilowatt light bulb.

"Well……"

Lin Lu stood awkwardly at the door, clutching her milk tea, unsure whether to go in or back out.

"Did I... interrupt your 'in-depth discussion'?"

Xie Wang lazily straightened up, creating that ambiguous distance between them.

He wasn't angry; instead, he reached out and took the milk tea from her arms.

"You've come at the perfect time. I'm hungry."

He skillfully inserted the straw, but instead of drinking it himself, he handed it to Su Qinghe first:

"Sugar-free, here you go."

Su Qinghe took the milk tea and glanced helplessly at Lin Lu:

"Weren't you downstairs getting math tutoring?"

"Ugh, math is so hard!"

Lin Lu tossed her backpack onto a nearby chair and slumped down without any regard for appearances. "Besides, the air conditioning downstairs is broken, it's so hot. It's so much better here, there's air conditioning, a view, and..."

Her eyes darted back and forth between the two of them, a smile on her face like that of an aunt:

"There are also handsome men and beautiful women to see, it's a feast for the eyes!"

Xie Wang scoffed, took his less-sweet drink, and took a sip.

"Just look at me, it costs money."

Lin Lu rolled her eyes, tore open a bag of potato chips, and started crunching away, complaining as she ate:

"By the way, Qinghe, you don't know, Jiang Yue went crazy downstairs again today. He was cursing and swearing in the corridor, saying that the school is biased and that they're giving you the best resources. I think he's just jealous."

When Jiang Yue was mentioned, Su Qinghe's expression turned cold.

"Let him be. He's just a clown."

Xie Wang didn't react much, just casually twirling the pen in his hand.

Jiang Yue?

It seems the lesson he learned wasn't enough.

"Oh, right."

Lin Lu suddenly remembered something, leaned closer to Su Qinghe, and said mysteriously:

"I heard there's a basketball game at school tomorrow. That big oaf Shen Hao insists on dragging Xie Wang along. Qinghe, are you going to watch?"

Su Qinghe paused for a moment, then turned his head to look at Xie Wang.

Xie Wang raised an eyebrow, toying with the pen in his hand: "Shen Hao just needs a laborer. If you want to see, I'll go and fight a couple of matches."

"Go! We have to go!"

Lin Lu slammed her hand on the table excitedly, "Qinghe, I'll be with you!"

Su Qinghe looked at Lin Lu's excited expression, and then at Xie Wang's seemingly indifferent but actually eagerly awaiting answer.

She took a sip of milk tea.

Very sweet.

"OK."

Su Qinghe pushed up his glasses, his voice calm yet tinged with indulgence:

"I'd also like to see if someone's physical strength is as good as their mental strength."

Xie Wang chuckled, leaning back with an arrogant and confident expression:

"Don't worry, Teacher Su, I won't let you down, whether it's mental or physical ability."

Lin Lu covered her face and let out a screeching sound like a groundhog:

"Ahhh! I can't take it! This is too sweet! I came here to enjoy the air conditioning, not to be bombarded with lovey-dovey moments!"