The library at noon was so quiet you could hear dust settling. Only the faint hum of the air conditioner brushed across the pages, rustling them with a soft shhh. Lin Chen and Su Wanqing sat by the window, where sunlight slanted through the tall glass panes, spilling long patches of light across the desk. Dust motes floated lazily in the golden beams, and even the air seemed to glow with a drowsy warmth.
Su Wanqing was frowning hard at a function problem in her workbook, her pen scratching, erasing, scratching again—never quite finding the right path. The stray strands of hair at her forehead drooped down like a curtain, blocking her view. She tried several times to push them aside, but with the pen still in her hand her movements looked clumsy. When the hair brushed her nose, she even gave a tiny sniff, like a kitten irritated by fluff—adorable, but clearly flustered.
Lin Chen sat opposite, pretending to sort through "frequent mistakes for the monthly exam," but his gaze kept drifting to her little struggle. Watching that stubborn strand of hair fall and fall again, his chest itched like a feather was teasing him. Before his brain could catch up, his hand moved on its own—his fingertips brushed lightly against her soft hair, tucking it carefully behind her ear.
The moment his fingers grazed her warm earlobe, time froze.
Lin Chen's hand jerked back as if burned. His heart pounded violently—thump, thump, thump—and even the tips of his ears went scorching hot. He sat stiff in his chair, eyes fixed on the window, trying not to breathe too loudly. But his fingertips still carried the ghost of her silky hair, the heat of her skin, like an electric current shooting through his body.
Su Wanqing froze too. From the roots of her ears down to her neck, her skin flushed bright red, like a peach ripening in the sun. Her lashes trembled, her head ducked so low that her pen slipped from her fingers, clattering onto the scratch paper and leaving a crooked line. She didn't dare reach for it.
The library air seemed to solidify. No sound of pages flipping, no hum of the AC—just the pounding of two hearts, loud enough to crash in their ears. Su Wanqing's fingers dug nervously at the cover of her workbook, her mind blank. That fleeting touch was too vivid, like a spark that lit a fire across her whole body.
"I—I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" Lin Chen finally found his voice, stumbling over the words. His eyes darted anywhere but her face. "I just… saw your hair was in the way when you were working. I didn't mean anything else…"
Su Wanqing gave the tiniest hum, her voice mosquito-soft, her head buried even deeper. She wanted to say "It's okay", but her throat was stuck. All she could do was clutch her clothes tighter, feeling her cheeks still burning.
For the next half hour, neither said a word. Lin Chen pretended to read the math formulas booklet, but the only thing in his vision was Su Wanqing's blushing profile. Su Wanqing stared at her scratch paper, though she didn't see a single symbol—her ears buzzed only with her own frantic heartbeat. Even turning a page felt too loud, so she pinched the corner so lightly the paper almost wrinkled.
The sun crept westward, shifting the golden patch of light from the table to the floor. Outside, cicadas sang bright and clear, only making the quiet between them more intimate. Lin Chen sneaked a look with the corner of his eye—she still hadn't raised her head, her hair brushing her cheek, her profile soft and sweet. A sudden impulse surged in his chest. He didn't want the awkwardness to keep dragging on. He wanted her to know… that moment, he didn't regret it at all.
"Th-there's actually an easier way to solve that problem," Lin Chen blurted, his voice tight but steadier than before. "If you use the geometric meaning of derivatives, just draw tangents and check the slopes. It's way faster than splitting intervals. On the exam, that could save you a ton of time."
Su Wanqing slowly lifted her head. Her eyes were still a little panicked, the blush not completely gone, but she nodded, her voice soft as cotton. "O-okay… could you show me?"
Relieved, Lin Chen picked up his pen and quickly sketched a graph. He forced his tone into calm explanation: "Look, here's f(x)=x³–3x. The derivative is f'(x)=3x²–3. Set that equal to zero and you get x=±1. Those are the extreme points. Instead of testing intervals, just look at the slopes—positive slope, function's increasing; negative slope, decreasing. See? Way easier."
Su Wanqing's eyes lit up as understanding dawned. Following his steps, she scribbled a few lines, then gasped with delight. "Oh! That's so much simpler! I wasted so much time last night—I should've seen it! Lin Chen, you're amazing!"
Lin Chen's ears went warm again. He meant to say "We're desk partners", but what came out was: "No need to thank me, we're… friends." He immediately panicked, afraid she'd take it wrong, and rushed to add, "Anytime you don't understand something, just ask me!"
Su Wanqing blinked, then curved her lips into a sweet smile. "Mm. Friends." Her voice was quiet, but gentle, like a feather brushing his heart.
Just then, the library's PA system crackled: "Attention, students, lunch break is over. Please leave the library in order and prepare for afternoon classes."
They both froze, surprised how fast the time had flown. Su Wanqing bent quickly to pick up her pen and gather her workbook, while Lin Chen helped collect her scattered scratch paper, neatly stacking it before handing it over. "Take these notes with you. Go through them later. Tomorrow we can review composite functions—those are key for the monthly exam."
"Okay." Su Wanqing reached for the stack, her fingers accidentally brushing his again. They both froze like statues, then snatched their hands back at the same time, their blushes deepening all over again.
"L-let's go," Lin Chen stammered, hoisting his bag, trying to act casual.
"Mm." Su Wanqing nodded, standing as well. They walked side by side toward the exit, steps slower than usual, neither speaking, but each hyper-aware of the other's breathing. Even the air felt sweet.
Outside, the afternoon sun was dazzling. Su Wanqing squinted, lifting a hand to shade her eyes. Lin Chen noticed and casually shifted to her left side, his body blocking some of the glare. His shadow fell across her feet like a quiet shield. Su Wanqing caught the gesture, warmth blooming in her chest. She peeked sideways at him—he kept his gaze straight ahead—but the corners of her lips curved up uncontrollably.
"Tomorrow at noon… should we come to the library again?" Her voice carried a hint of nervous hope, like she feared rejection. She clenched her sleeve as she spoke.
Lin Chen's heart leapt. He nodded firmly. "Of course! Let's get here early tomorrow. We'll go through composite functions until you've got them down cold. You'll crush the exam!"
"Mm!" Su Wanqing's smile sparkled, her eyes bright like stars.
They walked back toward the teaching building, the sunlight stretching their shadows long and close together. Lin Chen glanced at her radiant face, joy swelling inside him. That accidental touch in the library hadn't pushed them apart—it had drawn them closer. This time, he dared to face his feelings, dared to walk beside the girl he liked.
But neither noticed that under the plane tree across from the library, Zhao Kai was lurking, watching them with narrowed eyes. He clenched a twig in his fist until it snapped with a sharp crack. His eyes burned with jealousy and malice. Seeing Su Wanqing smile at Lin Chen made his rage boil over. He cursed under his breath: Lin Chen, you bastard! Dare to steal Su Wanqing from me? Just wait! During the monthly exam, I'll ruin you completely.
Grinding his teeth, Zhao Kai stormed away, clutching his new, even more vicious scheme.