An Invitation to the Swim Club

After a period of reflection, I calmly brushed off Ling Yan and Xiao Lu’s questions.

Though they still harbored some doubts, seeing my insistence on staying silent, they had no choice but to drop the matter.

“Chenzi, if you don’t want to say it, that’s fine. But if you’re really in trouble, you have to tell us… don’t keep it bottled up. Xiao Yanzi and I will definitely help you.”

“Mm, Zhou Chen, it’s better to speak up if there’s a difficulty.”

Xiao Lu and Ling Yan gave up pressing me, but the tone they used—like they were worrying about their own child—and the constant glances they cast my way left me feeling helpless.

Still, this kind of thing was impossible to tell anyone, no matter how I looked at it. So, I’m truly sorry.

“Mm, I know. But there really isn’t anything wrong.”

“… …”

“… …”

Probably because I still refused to talk even after they tried to persuade me, they ended up getting a bit angry and ignored me for a long time.

This also made me realize my own abnormal attitude—it seemed I was too concerned about the distance between Ling Yan and me, so much so that even she could sense it.

I figured I should be more careful, to avoid making Xiao Lu and Ling Yan worry.

“Xiao Lu, can you help me look at this problem? How do you solve it?”

After class, I picked up my textbook and walked over to Xiao Lu, who was still sulking, trying to strike up a conversation.

After all, it was my fault for making them worry, and I hadn’t responded to their expectations.

Xiao Lu was sitting quietly at her desk, working on the practice problems the teacher had left. Normally, she would have turned around to chat with me and Ling Yan by now.

“I don’t know. And Xiao Yanzi, don’t tell him either.”

Xiao Lu glanced up at me, then lowered her head again, even speaking to Ling Yan behind me.

But the pen in her hand had stopped the moment I spoke—never moving. No, actually, she kept jabbing at the same character.

I gave a wry smile. How long had it been? Why was she still mad at me? Still, the fact that she responded meant we could talk.

I looked over at Ling Yan. She gave me a faint glance, then turned her gaze to her book.

This was precisely why I hadn’t approached Ling Yan first. If she wasn’t happy, she wouldn’t talk to me, making it impossible to have a conversation. But if I could get Xiao Lu to stop being angry, then with her help, Ling Yan and I could ease the tension.

Without Xiao Lu, things between Ling Yan and me would just be awkward. Even if we exchanged a few words now and then, silence would soon take over.

“Lady Xiao Lu, please just help me with this problem. I’ve been thinking about it for ages.”

I bent over, clasped my hands above my head, and put on my most ingratiating expression.

This trick always worked with Xiao Lu—every time I made her angry before, she would forgive me.

“… Sigh, I really can’t do anything about Chenzi. Since you don’t want to say it, fine. Which problem?”

Xiao Lu heard my words, stopped the pen that had been jabbing at the character, and looked up at me—except her eyes were full of resentment.

At last, that poor character didn’t have to suffer anymore. Watching it was painful.

I gave an awkward laugh and pointed to the problem on my exercise book.

After that, Xiao Lu patiently explained the steps to me, occasionally asking Ling Yan for her opinion as well.

Xiao Lu, Ling Yan, and I were back in harmony.

Time flew by. I was still enjoying the last class, taught by a teacher with a witty and humorous style, when the bell rang. The teacher promptly packed up his notes, said goodbye to the students, and left.

This was one of the advantages of Taolisi High School: they never delayed classes. But when you had a teacher who lectured with such charm, it felt a bit unsatisfying.

Still, since school was over, Ling Yan, Xiao Lu, and I packed our bags and headed to the swimming club.

The evening practice for the swimming club lasted two hours after school—one hour longer than the morning session—ending around six in the evening.

In other words, Taolisi High School let out an hour earlier than other schools, and from first to third year, there were no morning or evening study sessions.

This was quite different from the usual school schedule, giving students more time to arrange their after-school activities.

I remembered that I used to be a “go-home” type, since I had many things I wanted to do on my own. But now, I’ve devoted all that time to Ling Yan—though I don’t regret it.

Walking along the road with Ling Yan and Xiao Lu, the four o’clock sun was still a bit dazzling, far less gentle than the sunset at six.

But when the sunlight fell on Ling Yan’s smooth, pretty face, I could see the faintly glowing silver fuzz, giving her a dreamlike beauty. Both that and the serene, elegant Ling Yan silhouetted by the sunset captivated me.

“Senior Zhou Chen!”

Just as I was chatting with Xiao Lu and Ling Yan, a sweet, sugary voice called out from behind us.

I stopped and turned around. Ai Xi, surrounded by a group of girls, was waving her slender, fair arm at me excitedly, the sunlight making her skin gleam.

“Ah, it’s Junior Ai Xi. How intimately she calls you. ‘Senior Zhou Chen,’ isn’t that right?”

Xiao Lu, standing beside me, whispered in a saccharine tone as she watched Ai Xi approach, giving me goosebumps all over.

“What’s gotten into you all of a sudden?”

I shifted aside and even used my finger to clean out my ear.

That was terrifying. I felt like my ears had just malfunctioned.

“Nothing.”

Xiao Lu shot me a glare and returned to her usual tone.

“Senior Zhou Chen, are you headed to the swimming club?”

As I spoke with Xiao Lu, Ai Xi and the girls surrounding her arrived in front of us.

“Mm…”

I nodded, about to ask her what she needed, when Xiao Lu cut me off.

“Yes, Junior Ai Xi, are you planning to come see our swimming club? You’re more than welcome.”

Xiao Lu squeezed me aside, positioned herself opposite Ai Xi, and grabbed her hand.

Startled by Xiao Lu’s sudden enthusiasm, Ai Xi trembled, her adorable smile turning stiff.

“Uh… um, Xiao Xi hasn’t joined any club yet, so I wanted to take a look.”

“Hey, Xiao Xi, I’ve been talking about it for a long time. Don’t you want to check out the tennis club?”

“What about my archery club?”

“And my tea ceremony club?”

“…”

The girls around Ai Xi all spoke at once, and I could see the troubled expression on Ai Xi’s face. It reminded me of when I first met her yesterday, caught by those thugs.

I glanced at Xiao Lu and Ling Yan. I thought they might step in to help Ai Xi, but they just watched Ai Xi and those girls indifferently, making no move to intervene.

Thinking about it, it made sense. This was her own choice. If they interfered, others might think they were meddling.

I shook my head, ready to wait and see. But unless I was mistaken, it seemed Ai Xi cast a pleading look my way with her big, watery eyes.

I sighed. Though I sensed it might cause trouble, still—

“Junior Ai Xi, please, you must come visit our swimming club. I’m begging you.”

I extended a strong invitation to Ai Xi, and then added, “So everyone else, no objections, right?”

I glared fiercely at the girls who were about to stop me. They took a few steps back, revealing expressions of fear and disgust.