Give Me a Hug

Chapter 30: Pursue You

Xie Jiaran was working on a logic test in his dorm room.

But he wasn't very focused. His eyes lingered on one question for a long time, and his pen left a wavy line across the paper as he zoned out.

With Li Tang and Shen Xuehao in class, the dorm was eerily quiet, as if he could hear the wind blowing.

He didn't even notice the door opening until someone pulled a chair up beside him. Only then did he turn his head.

"Why are you back?"

He looked at Liang Sunian with surprise. "Weren't you playing basketball?"

"Xiao Chi had to go back to the dorm to feed his 'son,' so we called it a day."

Liang Sunian's gaze fell on the test paper Xie Jiaran had been staring at. "Stuck?"

After a moment's hesitation, Xie Jiaran nodded. "Yeah."

Liang Sunian's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Want some one-on-one tutoring?"

With a "temporary teacher" beside him, Xie Jiaran's focus didn't improve; it got worse. He could hear Liang Sunian's voice, but none of the content registered. His mind kept replaying what Chen Wenyao had said in the gym earlier, and he didn't even notice when Liang Sunian made a mistake in the explanation.

Liang Sunian, also distracted, realized after a while that he had been explaining the wrong concept.

He clicked his tongue in frustration, ready to correct himself, but then noticed Xie Jiaran was completely zoned out.

Liang Sunian called out, "Xiao Xie, what are you thinking about?" He tugged on Xie Jiaran's sleeve, snapping him back to reality.

Xie Jiaran's lashes fluttered, and he quickly refocused. "Sorry."

Liang Sunian tapped the paper with his pen but said nothing.

The room grew quiet again, with only the sound of the wind filling the silence.

Xie Jiaran lowered his head, rubbing his right hand with his left, repeating the motion over and over.

Finally, he asked, "Did you ever have a girlfriend?"

Simultaneously, Liang Sunian asked, "Are you trying to set me up with someone?"

"..."

"..."

They stared at each other, surprised at the overlapping questions.

Xie Jiaran was the first to respond, looking puzzled. "Me, setting you up with someone? Who said that?"

Liang Sunian replied, "Weren't you asking Chen Wenyao if I've ever been in a relationship or what kind of girls I like? Isn't that to set me up?"

Xie Jiaran quickly shook his head. "I was just curious, that's all. I wasn't trying to set you up. And I don't know any suitable girls to introduce to you."

His voice was slightly faster than usual, as if he was afraid Liang Sunian might really ask him to set him up with someone.

Liang Sunian laughed, the tension in his chest dissipating. "Relax, I was just asking. I don't expect you to introduce me to anyone."

Xie Jiaran nodded awkwardly. After a pause, he couldn't help but ask again, "So, did you ever have a girlfriend?"

Liang Sunian smirked. "Is that what Chen Wenyao told you?"

Xie Jiaran nodded. "He said you didn't have one in college, but maybe in high school."

"High school, huh..."