A Study Session That Quietly Turned Dangerous

“Young master, sorry, I have something on today. Can’t go with you.”

“(Dogezakura bowing emoji)”

This was Zhao Yu’s reply this morning.

Pei Du felt he’d been played.

Last night, when he asked Zhao Yu if he wanted to come with him to He Chengxi’s study group, Zhao Yu readily agreed.

But just as Pei Du arrived at the agreed spot to meet He Chengxi, Zhao Yu said he wasn’t coming.

“Classmate Pei, have you had breakfast?”

At nine in the morning, they’d agreed to meet at Riverside Park in Jiangcheng—He Chengxi’s home was a river-view apartment.

“Yes, have you?”

“I ate at home too,” the girl carried a small handbag, matching her petite figure, very cute. “By the way, didn’t Classmate Zhao Yu come with you?”

Bathing in the still-cool morning breeze, Pei Du’s mood finally cleared like the brightening sky, feeling comfortable.

His anger at being stood up dissipated a bit.

“He’s not coming today,” Pei Du paused, “He said he has something on.”

“Classmate Zhao Yu also has something on?”
“Also?”

Pei Du had a sinking feeling.

“Zhuyue has something on today too, can’t come.”

He Chengxi tucked a few stray strands behind her ear. Today she didn’t tie her hair in a ponytail; a small section of her long hair was tied with a red ribbon into a bow, swaying as she walked.

System, you win. A study group of two really does count as half a date.

“Is it okay?” Pei Du asked, “If it’s just the two of us, it might not have the atmosphere of a study group.”

“Not at all.”

He Chengxi walked half a step ahead, leading the way.

“Being with Classmate Pei makes me feel very at ease. Studying might actually be more effective.”

I have that effect? I didn’t know.

Pei Du admired the surrounding scenery. Having lived here over a decade, he’d never felt the river view was so beautiful.

Arriving at the community entrance, just from the outside it looked incredibly luxurious. All were standalone villas, spaced hundreds of meters apart on average. Various gardens and swimming pools dotted the community, even including a soccer field.

The guard at the entrance verifying identities didn’t stop them to check, which surprised Pei Du.

Noticing Pei Du’s doubt, He Chengxi explained,

“The security here knows me, so they just let us in.”

“Oh.”

Actually, the security here only memorized each homeowner, but for He Chengxi’s family, they remembered all members.

—This villa complex was developed by the He Group.

Following the girl into a mansion so grand it exuded classical beauty, Pei Du once again deeply understood just how wealthy the girl’s family was.

Ivory marble columns seemed to pierce the sky. The entire structure shone brilliantly under the pouring morning sun. Semi-glass curtain walls reflected the patterns of flowing clouds over the mountains; the exquisite interior decoration was fully visible.

Stepping into the foyer, the Persian silk carpet beneath their feet swallowed all footsteps, offering unparalleled comfort. Moving forward, the triple-height ceiling hung countless crystal decorations; prism-cut light spots danced on the wall panels, breathtakingly beautiful.

Gold-inlaid bookcases, black sandalwood tea tables, gilt-bronze carved railings… Pei Du felt his limited experience constrained his imagination of the wealthy.

“Need to change shoes?”

This wasn’t said by Pei Du, but by the girl asking.

Meaning it was optional to change shoes.

The huge villa had no maids or cleaners. He Chengxi didn’t like strangers. Apart from cleaning times, usually only she was home.

She took out disposable slippers from the shoe cabinet. Disposable, yet their delicacy surpassed the slippers Pei Du wore at home.

“Thank you.”

Pei Du took them and started changing, feeling like after the girl handed them over, the shoes carried a “He Chengxi’s scent.”

He attributed this to a teenage boy’s special sense of smell towards a beautiful girl.

“Would you like black tea or something else, Classmate Pei?”
“No need.”
“Please let me know if you do,” He Chengxi took off her coat at home, revealing a relatively conservative off-white wool sweater with a rabbit pattern outlined in pink lines, “Please don’t be polite.”
“Okay.”

Following the girl upstairs, Pei Du unconsciously glanced at the girl’s legs. Not at school, her attire was noticeably richer than usual. White over-knee socks covered her slender legs, the calves wrapped evenly and tenderly, the bit of thigh that showed was as fair as snow, looking like two ice creams.

Good thing I’m a black-socks fan; being a 60D black-socks fan makes me completely immune to these.

But these would definitely taste sweet.

On the second floor, the layout clearly had more signs of life than the first—a wall-sized TV, a soft sofa, neatly arranged fruits…

He Chengxi had debated last night whether to hold the study group in her room or the living room. Thinking Classmate Zhao Yu might come, she ultimately set the location in the living room. Topic sets, books, etc., were all placed there.

“Classmate Pei, I heard your classmates were arguing yesterday?”

He Chengxi sat on the sofa, half-sunken into it, her white-socked small feet dangling and swaying in the air, casually grabbing a bag of imported snacks.

“What?”
“Last night after self-study, someone in class said Class 7 argued really fiercely.”
“Something like that.”

He Chengxi opened the bag, first handing a pack to Pei Du. Pei Du was about to say no need, but the girl had already placed it in his hand, then drew herself back into the sofa.

Putting the snack aside, Pei Du took out his notebook and test papers from his backpack, trying to skip the chat and start studying quickly.

But one boy, one girl, in a non-awkward atmosphere—would they only think about studying? Especially since both were good students who balanced work and rest.

“What specifically caused the argument?”

He Chengxi leaned closer to Pei Du, an indescribable fragrance rushing into Pei Du’s nostrils.

The girl was always curious about gossip.

“Differing values.”

Pei Du was vague; this topic was hard to explain.

“How do they differ?”

He Chengxi leaned even closer to Pei Du.

Today, she smelled a very pleasant scent from Pei Du, overpowering the room’s incense, making her feel dizzy.

Hard to explain, Pei Du simply opened his phone to the class chat. Yesterday they argued from cause to consequence, the process quite detailed.

Since the chat had nothing improper, he handed the phone to He Chengxi to read herself.

Holding the phone, He Chengxi read and commented,

“Classmate Pei, your classmate relationships don’t seem very friendly.”
“Not great.”
“The teachers don’t care?”
“The teachers just hope they don’t cause deaths.”
“That serious?!”

Pei Du nodded, saying earnestly,

“Creating life, destroying life—these are things our class is capable of.”

He Chengxi was stunned for two seconds, then couldn’t help but laugh.

“Classmate Pei, saying that about classmates isn’t very nice.”
“Doesn’t matter. My relationship with them is mediocre anyway. Even face-to-face, I’d say the same.”

With He Chengxi’s permission, Pei Du had already started flipping through the topic sets on the coffee table. Their depth of approach made Pei Du understand just how formidable Jiangshi No.1 High was.

“Then what about my relationship with Classmate Pei?”

Holding Pei Du’s phone, the girl tilted her head and asked.

Wasn’t today a study group? Why were we talking about this?

Pei Du assumed a fully focused studying posture.

…

System, I should have believed you that today was a date.

If I had, I wouldn’t have stepped out the door today no matter what.