Chapter 19: What a Good Relationship

Chapter 19: What a Good Relationship

“Whoa~ it’s a flood down there.”

The rain had weakened, but the earlier downpour had already wrecked the town’s drainage system. Low-lying areas were completely underwater.

Chen Shiyu leaned against the corridor railing, watching the scene below where the schoolyard had become a miniature lake.

During the break, several students had rushed straight into the water with excited shouts. They splashed about as if they were in some water park, chasing each other and turning into drenched puppies within minutes.

Somehow, water guns had even materialized out of nowhere, and the shrieks and laughter echoed all the way up to the higher floors, drawing a row of onlookers to the railing.

“How childish.”

Shiyu had never liked water. Even in her past life when she lived by the sea, she’d avoided it—probably because of a near-drowning incident when she was little.

But beside her, Shen Yan’s eyes sparkled with excitement. If not for the inevitable beating he’d get once he got home, he’d probably already be down there.

“Totally childish,” he said, quickly trying to distance himself from the “kids.”

Then his gaze slid sideways—onto Shiyu. Her posture was strange. The way she leaned forward on the railing wasn’t feminine at all. It was rough, even boyish, like she was imitating the stance of some cocky guy.

It looked… awkward. Like a kid desperately trying to play at being an adult. She was clearly a cute girl, yet she insisted on sitting there like some swaggering man.

What’s with her?

Shiyu felt his eyes on her. She stayed calm on the surface, but kept doing as she pleased.

“…What’s your problem?” he finally asked.

Busted.

Ugh, this guy’s way too sharp!

Shiyu could only use the excuse she’d prepared in advance. “Nothing. I was just… still sulking from earlier when you teased me.”

“Me?” Shen Yan blinked, pointing at his own nose, amused.

He was about to press her further when a heavy hand slapped his shoulder. It was his deskmate, Shi Lei.

“Come on! Let’s hit the shop downstairs!”

Shi Lei’s face was brimming with excitement as he dragged Shen Yan along.

“I’m not going. I’ll get splashed all over. Just buy me a Coke.”

“Nope! You’re coming. If you don’t, even if you call me daddy, I still won’t buy it for you.”

Normally, this time of day was reserved for group exercises—twenty-five full minutes of stretching and jogging in the yard. But with the grounds flooded, the students had been given a rare, genuine free period.

Shiyu watched as Shen Yan was pulled away, her lips tightening with envy.

Boys really did have it nice—so straightforward, so silly, yet their bonds were always strong.

“Shiyu~ what’re you staring at?” Shen Jiayi popped up beside her, craning her neck to look down too. “Ew. Playing in water at that age? So immature. I stopped doing that when I was five.”

“Boys will be boys. They’re children until the day they die.”

If she said guys were childish, it was self-deprecation. But if another girl said it, Shiyu felt obliged to defend them. That was called loyalty.

“Oh? Listen to you. Talking like you’ve been around, like you’ve experienced countless men.”

Well… in a way, she had.

Down below, Shen Yan and Shi Lei came into view, trousers rolled up as they stomped through the water toward the shop. They hadn’t made it far before they were chasing each other and splashing like little kids again.

“Eh! Shen Yan’s playing in the water too?!” Jiayi gasped in disbelief. “Aren’t you going to stop him?”

What, do I look like his nanny to you?

“I’m not his mom.”

Of course, it didn’t take long before the splashing crowd drew unwanted attention.

“Get out of there at once!” A young female teacher rushed over, waving urgently. “Hurry up! What do you think you’re doing?!”

Nobody listened.

She was pretty, but lacked the intimidating aura of an “Extinction Master Nun” type. With zero deterrence, the students just laughed and kept playing in the water.

“That water’s from the septic tank! It’s all sewage!”

Instantly, every student’s face drained of color. Panic erupted as they scrambled desperately for the “shore,” their screams mixed with a chorus of cursing.

Chen Shiyu burst out laughing. “I don’t want to talk to Shen Yan for at least two days after this!”

“But… if the water hasn’t drained by lunch break…” Shen Jiayi looked stricken, trailing off.

“Then we’ll just let Shen Yan do the dirty work. He can go buy food from the cafeteria and bring it back.”

Glancing at the clock, Shiyu realized class was about to start. She shoved her phone into her pocket—better safe than getting caught red-handed—and stretched before heading toward the classroom.

Gotta cram in some homework. Then I’ll have an easier evening when I get home.

“Shiyu~ do you know how to do this problem?”

“Class rep! My umbrella’s gone, what should I do?”

No sooner had she sat down than a few girls clustered around her again, as usual.

With her most practiced, polite smile, Shiyu gave the fastest dismissals she could manage: “This problem? Ah~ I don’t know either.”

“Umbrella? Do you need it right now? I don’t have mine… Why not borrow Shen Yan’s? I don’t carry one.”

The girls exchanged puzzled looks. Yesterday, Shiyu’s replies had already been perfunctory, but today was no different.

No matter how sweet her smile, the impatience and distance in her tone were obvious.

“…Oh. Okay then…”

Shiyu watched them walk away, satisfied with her performance.

She didn’t understand why fewer girls were talking to her today, but honestly? That just meant peace and quiet. She’d never had the patience for dealing with girls anyway. If she’d been good at that, she wouldn’t have been a single, untouched virgin all the way until dying and reincarnating.

Head down again, she worked on her homework, trying hard to imitate dainty, elegant handwriting.

“Damn it, that was disgusting! Do I smell?!”

Shen Yan stormed into the room, grumbling. He sniffed at his sleeve with obvious concern.

Then, without hesitation, he walked straight to Shiyu, plopped down beside her, and shoved his arm under her nose with a grin. “Hey, smell this. Do I stink?”

“Ugh, disgusting!” Shiyu pinched her nose, face twisting as she plastered herself against the wall, trying to put as much distance between them as possible. “Stay away from me!”

Even if she couldn’t actually smell anything—this guy had just been wading through sewage!

“There’s no smell, okay? C’mon, smell again. Don’t tell me you actually believed that teacher’s warning?” Shen Yan teased, thoroughly enjoying himself.

“Gross! Get lost! Don’t touch me, you stink!”

“It’s nothing.” Shen Yan rolled his eyes. “I washed, like, three times already.”

Shiyu huddled against the wall, arms crossed over her chest defensively, knees pulled up as if to shield herself. Her wide, wary eyes fixed on him like she was ready to hiss and bite at any second. With her half-open mouth, even her tiny canine teeth glinted faintly.

But to Shen Yan, she didn’t look threatening at all. She looked like an angry little kitten—pretty, pouting, and even cuter when mad.

Especially with that round, puffed-up face. It made him want to squeeze it, squish it, and never let go.

“What a sweet couple~”

The voice came from behind them—Chen Jing, their back-row classmate.

Both Shiyu and Shen Yan turned at the same time to stare at her, leaving her startled. “W-What? Did I say something wrong?”

Shiyu’s lips parted. She wanted to protest, We’re not a couple! We don’t have that kind of relationship at all!

But Shen Yan, on the other hand, shamelessly admitted it with ease: “Of course we are.”

He was determined to keep this fox spirit tied at his side—otherwise, who knew what trouble she’d cause while borrowing his childhood friend’s body…