Thursday.
It was the beginning of lunch at Xinjiang No.1 Highschool.
"What happened this time?"
Jing Yao looked at Zhang Yin with an exasperated face and retorted, "This time it's really nothing!"
Zhang Yin didn't seem to believe her but she didn't say anything more about it. Instead she asked, "Are you going to the movie with everyone on Saturday?"
She added, "Lin Yuan is going too."
"Ugh…why are you bringing him up again?!"
Zhang Yin just chuckled in response.
"Are you going then?!" Jing Yao said angrily. Actually she had a sure fire way to shut Zhang Yin up but she decided to keep her cards for now.
"Yeah."
"Huh?"
"Chen Su invited me."
Jing Yao didn't expect it, "Don't you usually hate this kind of thing? You're always saying people should stop wasting time with stuff like that and start studying."
"Well I thought a change of pace might not be bad, anyway next year we won't have any time. So are you going?"
"Hmm…." Jing Yao couldn't deny that she was tempted, she didn't expect Zhang Yin to join in on the fun as well, "But I already told everyone I had cram school that day."
"Just say that you changed your mind. I'm sure all the guys will be very happy."
Jing Yao thought that was the problem. "...Nevermind. I can't miss cram school."
Later in the afternoon.
Jing Yao was walking by herself. She had originally planned to go with Zhang Yin to the food stalls after school but their plans were interrupted, so she just went home early.
For the last two years she always had club practice so she would always get home late. Even though she missed playing basketball with everyone, she didn't miss how exhausted she would be after training.
When Jing Yao reached the intersection near her neighbourhood, she looked around curiously. Sure enough she saw a familiar figure waiting at the stop light.
This time there was no cat wandering around him.
"Hey." Jing Yao walked up to Lin Yuan.
"..."
She turned to glance at him, but he didn't even seem to notice her. He was standing at the edge of the pavement in a daze watching the cars drive past.
Jing Yao thought he was ignoring her. She had just decided to not pay attention to him anymore when Lin Yuan suddenly began walking.
"Hey! Stop!" Jing Yao grabbed his arm tightly and pulled him back.
"Huh?" Lin Yuan staggered back onto the sidewalk and looked at her holding his hand in confusion, "What's wrong?"
"What do you mean what's wrong?! The light is still red, what are you doing?!" Jing Yao was shouting now.
"Oh." Lin Yuan gently took back his hand and said softly, "I didn't realise. Thank you."
Hearing his quiet voice, Jing Yao quickly calmed down. She could feel that people were looking at them. Her face turned red.
"Pay more attention…"
"Alright." Lin Yuan still spoke with the same soft voice.
At this moment the light turned green. Jing Yao glanced at him and then began walking ahead.
After a few moments she turned back and realised Lin Yuan was still behind her, so Jing Yao slowed down until they were almost side by side.
"You should be more aware of your surroundings, I've noticed you're always absent minded in class."
"Okay."
"This intersection is very busy in the afternoon, that was very dangerous!" Jing Yao reprimanded seriously.
"Oh."
"Why were you spacing out before?"
"No reason."
"..." Fine, don't tell me!
Jing Yao noticed that Lin Yuan had stopped walking. She turned around, "What's wrong?"
"I'm going this way." Lin Yuan pointed to the left.
"Oh right, well, goodbye." Jing Yao waved politely. He nodded at her and then began walking away.
"At least reply…" Jing Yao muttered as she looked down to adjust her backpack straps.
"Goodbye."
"Huh?" When she looked up again she saw that Lin Yuan had stopped and was looking at her. Jing Yao felt a little embarrassed, "Yeah bye…"
Seeing his figure getting distant, Jing Yao sighed. She didn't understand why she was always speaking without thinking recently.
"Ah! I forgot to ask about the cat!"
Actually she was missing the fat cat a bit, she hadn't seen it around her neighbourhood for a while now.
A few minutes later.
Jing Yao walked into her house, "I'm home."
Before she could put down her bag and put on the house slippers a short figure came running into the hallway.
"Sister! Sister! You're back." The short boy jumped into her arms and hugged her.
"Haha, Xiao Hu, calm down." Jing Yao put down her bag, and ruffled his hair.
At this time her mother also came out into the hallway, "Yao'er, you're early. You didn't eat out with your friends?" She took Jing Yao's bag.
"Mom, you're not at work?" Jing Yao was surprised. She followed her mother down the hallway while holding her brother's hand.
"Well I got off early, by the way I called the nanny off, I'll make dinner today. Go and get changed, the food will be ready in an hour."
"...Okay."
Jing Yao was somewhat absentminded as she went up the stairs. She turned to her little brother, "Mom picked you up today?"
"Yes." Xiao Hu nodded obediently.
Jing Yao frowned.
An hour later, the family of three was seated at the dining table. They were about to start dinner when they heard the front door opening.
"Your father is back?" Mother Jing's voice was a little cold.
Sure enough Jing Yao's father's voice came from the hallway, "I'm back! Yao'er, Xiao Hu, I've brought takeout, it's from your favourite place!"
Mother Jing got up and left the dining room. There were muffled voices coming from the hallway for a while until both parents came back to the table.
"Sorry guys, I didn't realise your mother was already home." Father Jing was holding two small plastic bags.
"Don't worry Dad, we can eat it together, I'm really hungry today!" Jing Yao got up from the chair.
"Aha, really? I told you that it's fine." Father Jing turned to his wife.
"You!...nevermind."
Later, at night.
Jing Yao was sitting at her desk working on her cram school homework, mainly maths. Actually even though she was a science student, maths wasn't her strong suit, she was much better at comprehensive sciences.
At this time her bedroom door opened.
"Sister, are you studying?" It was her brother Jing Hu. He was holding a picture book.
"What's wrong Xiao Hu?" Jing Yao got up and quickly went over to her brother.
"They're too loud."
Jing Yao quickly closed the door, "I'm not studying. Do you want to read?"
So brother and sister both sat on the bed going through the large picture book. Jing Yao was reading over her brother's shoulder, "Didn't you already read this book Xiao Hu?"
Jing Hu nodded his head.
Jing Yao glanced at his cute face concentrating and then said, "I'll find some books in our library for you."
"Really?" Jing Hu was excited, he had already read through all of the picture books at his school library.
"Promise!"