Chapter 612 - 610 Cui Hao: Wait for me.
The words were already out.
Cui Hao could only bite the bullet and reply, "Just you wait. I definitely won’t fail."
His confidence wavered, and he clutched his book even tighter against his chest. It seemed he’d have to study in the dead of night again, just like before.
Just as Song Fan was about to reveal the truth, Cui Hao, quick as a flash, lunged forward and clapped a hand over her mouth, his eyes filled with a desperate plea.
Sun Yufei’s brow furrowed slightly at the sight. "Cui Hao, what are you doing? Why won’t you let Song Fan speak?" she asked, confused.
Cui Hao forced a smile. "Oh, it’s nothing, nothing at all. Song Fan, there are customers waiting for their bubble tea. You should get busy instead of standing around chatting." As he spoke, he shot her a look, silently begging her to stay quiet. He then lowered his voice, whispering directly into her ear, "I’m begging you, please, don’t blow my cover. Please."
"You owe me one."
With that, Song Fan shrugged him off and went to serve the customers.
Seeing this, Sun Yufei’s frown deepened. For some reason, the fact that they had a secret between them made her feel incredibly irritated. She couldn’t quite put her finger on why.
Si Wen, who had been watching from the side, took it all in. A glint of insight flashed in her eyes, but she chose to remain silent and see how things would play out.
After a moment, Sun Yufei composed herself, turned to Si Wen, and tried to sound casual. "Si Wen, what would you like to drink? My treat."
"Hot milk, thank you," Si Wen replied with a smile.
Sun Yufei nodded and walked over to Song Fan to place the order. As she got closer, she lowered her voice and asked, "Song Fan, you didn’t finish what you were saying earlier. What did you want to say?"
Song Fan’s gaze drifted involuntarily toward Cui Hao, and a meaningful smile touched her lips. "Yufei, about that... I think it would be more interesting if you asked Cui Hao yourself."
A look of surprise flashed in Sun Yufei’s eyes. She replied, half-joking and half-serious, "Don’t tell me... you’re interested in Cui Hao?"
Song Fan’s cheeks instantly flushed. She waved her hands frantically in denial, her voice a mix of shyness and urgency. "Yufei, what are you talking about! That’s not it at all, don’t get the wrong idea."
The gap between them was just too wide. His education alone was an insurmountable chasm. How could she, with only a middle school education, be a match for a top student from Yanbei University like Cui Hao? On top of that, he was the boss’s trusted subordinate, with a future of limitless achievements. Though she didn’t know what the boss was currently planning, she had a feeling he was going to astound the entire world one day. And her? The best she could do was manage this bubble tea shop for the boss. The gap between them would only grow wider over time. So, she would never dare to entertain such unrealistic thoughts.
Sun Yufei looked at Song Fan with encouragement in her eyes. "Look how nervous you are," she said softly. "You’re actually an amazing person. If you really like him, you should go for it. Who says education is the only thing that matters? What if he doesn’t care about any of that?"
Song Fan’s cheeks grew warmer, and her tone became pleading. "Yufei, please don’t make jokes like this in the future. I know where I stand."
"Alright, alright, I get it." Seeing how serious Song Fan was, Sun Yufei stopped teasing her and returned to her seat.
Cui Hao finished his bubble tea, gathered his things, and prepared to leave. Just as he stood up, the study materials he had hidden under his chair slipped and fell to the floor with a CLATTER.
A sense of dread washed over him, and he quickly bent down, trying to scoop up the materials before anyone noticed.
However, Sun Yufei had already seen them. "Oh?" she teased. "Weren’t you the one who said you could pass without even studying? What’s with all these materials?"
Since he’d been caught, Cui Hao saw no point in hiding them anymore. "Fine, I was studying. So what?"
"So what if you’re studying?" Sun Yufei said with a smile. "It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Why act like a thief about it?"
Cui Hao looked nervously at Sun Yufei and Si Wen. "You... you won’t laugh at me, will you?"
"Why would we laugh at you? But... if you study and *still* fail, well, that might be a different story."
Sun Yufei’s words ignited Cui Hao’s competitive spirit. His eyes widened. "You... you just wait! If I fail this time, I’ll... I’ll..."
"You’ll what?"
Cui Hao’s eyes darted back and forth. "You set the terms."
"Alright, then," Sun Yufei said deliberately. "It’s a deal. I’ll be waiting for the good news of your failure."
Without another word, Cui Hao gave Si Wen a nod and left the bubble tea shop, a look of stubborn defiance on his face.
Only when his figure had completely melted into the crowd on the street corner did Sun Yufei slowly pull her gaze away, a few lingering thoughts still visible in her eyes.
Si Wen sat beside her, watching her quietly with a playful expression.
Suddenly noticing Si Wen’s stare, Sun Yufei subconsciously touched her face. "Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?"
Si Wen chuckled, a sly glint in her eyes. "Oh yes, there definitely is."
"What is it?" Sun Yufei asked, frantically rubbing her face again but finding nothing. She then pretended to be annoyed. "Alright, Si Wen, how dare you mess with me!"
Si Wen shook her head, her smile widening. "I wouldn’t dare. I just see that someone’s heart is starting to flutter. Looks like a little crush is blossoming."
"What are you talking about? I am not!" Sun Yufei’s cheeks reddened as she hastily denied it, her voice sounding a little unnatural. "Besides, I would definitely, *definitely* never fall for Cui Hao. Stop making wild guesses."
Si Wen just gave a faint smile and didn’t press the topic, though her mind was still turning. Wasn’t she once the same way when it came to her own feelings? So stubborn and unwilling to reveal what was in her heart.
Thinking of Xue Xing, Si Wen lowered her gaze slightly. Ever since he went back, they had lost all contact. It was as if he had vanished. The feeling was awful, and there was no one she could talk to about it. That thought only made her feel worse.
* * *
After Si Wen and Sun Yufei left, Xue Yang and Lin Xi were the only ones left in the office.
"Xue Yang~"
Xue Yang, who was typing on his keyboard, glanced up at Lin Xi for a moment before looking back down at his screen. "What’s up?"
Lin Xi came and stood before him, her hands clasped in front of her. With her head bowed slightly, she looked just like a child who had done something wrong.
"I’m sorry..."
Xue Yang’s head snapped up. "Why are you apologizing to me?"