Madam, Please Behave
Chapter 447: The Strange Girl

A single class period wasn't very long.

Especially when a significant portion was spent on in-class dictation, leaving little time for actual teaching before the bell rang.

Unlike her middle school teachers, Liu Xiazhi greatly preferred her current high school teachers.

Because they never kept students after class.

They dismissed exactly on time.

As the teacher left the classroom, the other students seemed to unleash their true selves - groups of boys laughing together as they exited, while girls clustered together discussing that subway rescue guy who'd been in the news recently.

The two motionless figures at their desks could occasionally hear the girls behind them squealing about how handsome he was.

Fingers tapping against her pen cap, Liu Xiazhi finally seemed unable to bear it any longer. She tilted her gaze toward her deskmate and hesitantly asked:

"You... your name is Chi Xiaoxiao, right?"

This was the first time Liu Xiazhi had voluntarily spoken to her since school started.

Normally Chi Xiaoxiao would have been thrilled, but after witnessing the English dictation earlier, her feelings had become complicated.

She was beginning to doubt her previous assumptions...

Perhaps... that girl who'd scored nearly perfect on the high school entrance exam wasn't Liu Xiazhi after all.

Yet looking at this beautiful but somewhat icy-faced girl before her, Chi Xiaoxiao found it hard to reconcile this appearance with someone who'd written so many words yet gotten most of them wrong.

To put it simply...

Her illusions about Liu Xiazhi had been shattered.

An inevitable sense of disappointment crept in.

Unaware of the whirlwind of thoughts going through her deskmate's mind in those few seconds, Liu Xiazhi had her own reasons for initiating conversation...

Taking a slight breath and pursing her lips, Liu Xiazhi's eyes darted about nervously while she feigned nonchalance:

"Wanna... go to the bathroom together?"

"......"

After several seconds without a response, Liu Xiazhi began to panic:

"If you don't want to, I can just go-"

"Let's go together."

Chi Xiaoxiao's silence ended as she gave Liu Xiazhi a complicated look before agreeing to the bathroom invitation. She stood up and bent to retrieve a small pack of tissues from her desk.

Seeing her companion ready, a flicker of delight crossed Liu Xiazhi's face before she quickly suppressed it. Grabbing her own tissue pack, she followed behind Chi Xiaoxiao as they left the classroom together.

Their journey to the school restroom passed mostly in silence.

After exchanging a few awkward sentences, they wordlessly agreed to stop talking.

After finishing their business and washing hands, Chi Xiaoxiao was about to head back when Liu Xiazhi's voice stopped her:

"Chi Xiaoxiao..."

Turning back, Chi Xiaoxiao asked:

"What is it?"

Liu Xiazhi's usually cold expression softened into a smile as she faced her classmate:

"Wanna hit the snack shop? My treat!"

"Your... treat?"

"Yeah. Thanks for helping me during class."

"......"

Before Chi Xiaoxiao could respond, Liu Xiazhi grabbed her hand and practically dragged her toward the school snack shop. Soon they each held a packet of crispy noodles and...

Spicy strips.

Staring dumbfounded at the spicy snack in her hand, Chi Xiaoxiao watched Liu Xiazhi noisily sucking air through her teeth from the heat.

Her worldview seemed to be crumbling...

"Phew... so spicy! So spicy!"

Sticking out her tongue slightly and making exaggerated noises, the spice-afflicted Liu Xiazhi fanned her mouth with her free hand as if that would help. Noticing Chi Xiaoxiao's stare, she offered an embarrassed smile.

Seeing this completely unexpected expression from Liu Xiazhi, Chi Xiaoxiao's feelings underwent another shift.

She quietly observed as Liu Xiazhi finished the spicy strips and tossed the wrapper into a trash can before signaling they should return to class.

Walking side by side, Chi Xiaoxiao lowered her gaze to the crispy noodles and spicy strips in her hands...

Her mind replaying the image of Liu Xiazhi panting with her tongue out from the spice.

Is this... the real her?

Not the aloof, unapproachable person she'd imagined...

This more down-to-earth version should have made her happy, yet somehow Chi Xiaoxiao felt almost... deceived.

Unconsciously, the two who had been walking abreast now had a two-step gap after Chi Xiaoxiao suddenly sped up.

"Look out!!"

As they passed near the basketball courts, a sudden shout startled Chi Xiaoxiao.

Turning toward the sound, she saw a basketball flying straight at her head...

Oh no... I'm gonna get hit...

The thought flashed through her mind.

Just as the ball was about to strike, just as Chi Xiaoxiao was resigning herself to impact...

Suddenly she moved.

Liu Xiazhi behind her had reacted with lightning speed, grabbing Chi Xiaoxiao's wrist and yanking her backward.

Pulled uncontrollably into Liu Xiazhi's space, Chi Xiaoxiao next felt an arm wrap around her waist.

She found herself sheltered in a warm embrace.

Held tightly.

"Thump... thump..."

Whether from the suddenness or something else, Chi Xiaoxiao could distinctly hear heartbeats.

Though she couldn't tell if they were her own... or from Liu Xiazhi who'd just saved her.

"You okay?!"

The basketball players came running over. After retrieving their ball, one boy approached and - after staring at Liu Xiazhi's face for a few stunned seconds - asked Chi Xiaoxiao the question.

Only then did Chi Xiaoxiao snap back to reality, still pressed against Liu Xiazhi.

She looked up.

At the face half a head taller than hers.

At the concerned expression...

Inhaling that faint spicy snack scent...

"Thump... thump... thump..."

Her face inexplicably flushed as she stared dumbly at the girl still holding her arm.

As if completely deaf to the boy's repeated questions.

In this moment... her vision contained only Liu Xiazhi's face.

That face... far surpassing their peers in beauty.

So... so cool~!