My Crush Also Has a Crush on Me!
Chapter 53: He Seems to Have Something on His Mind

Chapter 53: Chapter 53: He Seems to Have Something on His Mind

"I did my best."

Fu Ying had secretly looked up University B, one of the top universities in the country.

That was where Shen Liguang graduated from, and she feared her score of over 200 wouldn’t even catch his eye.

Indeed, getting a combined 200 in several subjects was too embarrassing for her to speak out.

"Are you about to enter the second year of high school?"

He suddenly asked.

"Yes, I will be in the second year after the summer break."

Shen Liguang stared at her, tilting his head, his eyes allure and piercing.

Fu Ying felt her throat dry and coarse under his gaze.

"Have you decided whether to choose arts or sciences?"

"Arts, I am a bit better at humanities," Fu Ying’s voice was soft, with her scores, saying "a bit better" was hard to believe, she added, "better than sciences."

Shen Liguang nodded: "Keep it up."

Fu Ying: "..."

He said it so seriously, there was no hint of jest in his tone, he was truly encouraging her.

Yet these words made her feel incredibly ashamed.

"I will."

Fu Ying nodded, inadvertently raising her eyes, sweeping across his face.

Without intending to meet his gaze, Fu Ying panicked a bit, quickly shifting her eyes away, her throat tightened, and she reached for the handle of the water jug.

Just as she grasped it, her hand was covered by warmth.

Shen Liguang immediately withdrew his hand, somewhat uncomfortably: "You first."

His hand, slightly calloused, lightly moved away.

Fu Ying’s cheeks flushed, feeling feverish, and she poured herself a cup of water.

The young girl lowered her head, quietly sipped her water, then licked her softly pink lips.

Shen Liguang swiftly moved his gaze away from her face, his tongue touching his lips.

"Let’s have dinner, I’ll take you back later."

Fu Ying pursed her lips, nodding.

Watching the obedient and quiet demeanor of the young girl, Shen Liguang suddenly felt an inner unrest, agitated and disturbed.

He furrowed his brows, took a sip of water, feeling a burning inside.

The young girl was delicate in her manners, eating with grace, quietly making no sound.

Like a little cat.

Fu Ying didn’t even realize how she managed to finish her meal under his gaze, her palms sweaty with nervousness.

She dared not make a sound while eating, fearing she’d be impolite.

Even though she wished to be closer, with him right in front of her, she had nothing to say, wanting to flee.

Unrequited love, after all, is just making things difficult for oneself.

Mismatched with oneself.

Shen Liguang felt like smoking, mindful that this was a restaurant, he had been holding back.

Only after sending the young girl home and watching her go upstairs, he pinched a cigarette from the box and placed it between his lips.

Bowing his head, his fingers gently rubbed the lighter’s wheel, his right eye slightly lifted, slowly inhaling, then squinting as he looked up.

The man leaned on the car, puffing smoke, all because of a little girl nine years younger than him.

Truly fucking perverse.

He cursed silently in his heart.

Then, could not help but bitterly smile.

He wasn’t the type to fuss over things; if he liked someone, he would actively pursue them, alas, she was still a child.

The man’s thin lips slightly parted, gently exhaling a wispy smoke, his gaze profound.

Fu Ying didn’t hear the car leaving, slowly went upstairs, hesitated for a bit, her steps reached the second floor window, looking down.

The man hadn’t left, leaning against the car smoking.

His fingers pinching the cigarette.

His smoking maneuver was skilled.

He was surrounded by swirls of smoke.

He looked like he was preoccupied with concerns.

Fu Ying was about to look away when he happened to look up towards the second floor.

Fu Ying secretly felt fortunate; good thing she moved quickly.

Soon after, there was some noise outside; Shen Liguang left.

Fu Ying couldn’t help but curl the corners of her mouth, inexplicably feeling he was happy tonight.

Recently, Zhou Wei and her group were often heard discussing Shen Liguang. Fu Ying, sitting in the back row, paused her note-taking to listen quietly.

Zhou Wei: "My sister said he even brought a child along, asking my sister to marry him and become a stepmother, to take care of the child."

"Could it be just an excuse to reject your sister?"

"I think so too. I saw the back of his child; short and small, looked like a primary school kid, but was wearing our school’s uniform, which means he’s a high school student. How could he possibly have a child that big? He must be lying to my sister."

Her desk mate laughed: "Could it be that your sister has been unrequited all along? He never fancied your sister, did he?"

"That’s normal too, my sister isn’t as pretty as I am."

The girl grinned: "Zhou Wei, when you found out the firefighter lied and didn’t tell your sister, you had some thoughts, huh?"

Zhou Wei, embarrassed, smiled shyly: "Cut it out, don’t talk nonsense."

"I’m not talking nonsense. You’ve been mentioning him a lot lately, looking all spirited and saying you have no intentions."

"It’s not my brother-in-law; I can pursue him."

"Aren’t you concerned about his age?"

"He’s just eight or nine years older, besides, older men are more caring."

Zhou Wei laughed, her face blushing: "I think... age is not a problem, the gap isn’t much, it’s within the acceptable range."

Her desk mate chuckled meaningfully: "Tsk tsk, see, I was right, you indeed have feelings for the firefighter."

Zhou Wei laughed bashfully: "Alright, can we stop talking about it? Class is starting."

Fu Ying laid her head on the desk, absent-mindedly doodling in her notebook.

The bell rang and Tan Ruonian entered, and the discussion among the girls abruptly stopped.

Next to her, Lin Lishan whispered: "Those girls are starting their thirsty, unrealistic dreams again."

Fu Ying turned her head to look at her.

Lin Lishan continued: "A bunch of infatuated fools."

Fu Ying smiled and didn’t reply.

Suddenly, she quite liked hearing their discussions about him.

Just hearing his name would make her happy for a long time.

Though sometimes it felt bitter, she still wanted to hear his name, as if that would bring her closer to him.

Fu Ying lay her body down, resting her head on her arms, and couldn’t help but smile cheesily at their phrase "age is not a problem."

Lin Lishan looked at her in perplexity: "What are you laughing about? Am I wrong?"

Fu Ying nodded, "You are right."

Lin Lishan looked puzzled.

Fu Ying turned her head towards the window.

Suddenly, everything seemed clearer.

Before evening self-study, Fu Ying saw Xia Jinyun at the school entrance, handing out flyers in a bulky costume despite the scorching heat.

Fu Ying handed over the water she was holding.

Xia Jinyun smiled and took it: "Thank you."

Xia Jinyun was sweating profusely, tirelessly running around in the increasingly hot May, seemingly never feeling tired.

"Jinyun, aren’t you being too hard on yourself?"

Xia Jinyun shook her head: "When I think that the current hardship can save my mother’s life, it doesn’t feel that hard anymore. I still have a lot of debts to pay, how can I afford to rest."

Xia Jinyun gently rubbed her head: "Your classmates are waiting, you should hurry to class."

Fu Ying nodded and followed her classmates into the school.