ch 5.Not that I care

Xin Ran

Xin Ran decided something important that morning.

She would act normal.

Very normal.

So normal that no one—not Qin Yang, not her classmates, not even herself—would notice the strange knot in her chest.

Unfortunately, the universe disagreed.

“Xin Ran!” a cheerful voice called out as soon as she entered the classroom.

She stopped.

It was Li Wei, the new transfer student. He stood beside her desk, smiling brightly, holding two milk cartons.

“I heard you like the low-sugar one,” he said proudly. “Hope I got it right.”

Xin Ran blinked. “Oh—thank you.”

She took it politely, unsure how to react.

Across the room, Qin Yang froze mid-step.

Qin Yang

Why is he standing there?

I stared at Li Wei like he’d personally challenged me to a duel. He was smiling too much. Standing too close. Holding milk cartons like some kind of hero.

When did Xin Ran start accepting drinks from other people?

Not that it mattered.

Obviously.

I sat down harder than necessary.

“Morning,” I said.

Xin Ran looked up. “Morning.”

That was it.

No smile. No extra word.

Great.

Xin Ran

Qin Yang didn’t look at her again.

During class, he leaned away. During notes, he didn’t borrow her notebook. When their teacher paired students for a group activity, he immediately turned to his friend instead of her.

Her chest tightened.

So that’s how it is.

Li Wei, meanwhile, kept whispering jokes to her about the teacher’s dramatic hand movements. Xin Ran tried not to laugh, but a small smile slipped out.

Qin Yang noticed.

Qin Yang

She’s smiling.

At him.

I tapped my pen aggressively, suddenly very interested in my notes. Why did it bother me so much? She’s allowed to have friends. I have friends too.

Still… the way she tilted her head when she laughed—

I stopped myself.

Get a grip.

At lunch, things got worse.

Li Wei sat next to Xin Ran.

My seat.

I stood there for a second, tray in hand, before sitting down across from them instead.

“So,” Li Wei said cheerfully, “Xin Ran was telling me you two sit together every day.”

Xin Ran choked on her drink.

“I—what?”

Qin Yang looked up. “We do?”

Li Wei grinned. “See? I knew it.”

Xin Ran’s face turned pink. “It’s not—”

Qin Yang stood abruptly. “I’m done eating.”

He wasn’t.

But he left anyway.

Xin Ran

That afternoon, Xin Ran felt awful.

Had she made him uncomfortable? Was she being childish? She hadn’t meant to make him jealous—if he even was jealous.

After school, rain began to fall lightly. Students rushed out, opening umbrellas and complaining.

Xin Ran stood by the gate, fumbling with her bag.

Her umbrella was missing.

“Looking for this?”

She looked up.

Qin Yang stood there, holding her umbrella.

“Oh,” she said softly. “Thank you.”

They walked together under the umbrella, closer than necessary.

Neither spoke.



Qin Yang,-

I didn’t mean to sound cold today.

I just didn’t like seeing her laugh with someone else. It made something twist inside me—something stupid and irrational.

“So,” I said, trying to sound casual, “you and Li Wei seem close.”

She looked at me. “We talked today. That’s all.”

“Oh.”

That was embarrassing.

The silence stretched until she sighed.

“You were avoiding me,” she said.

I stopped walking.

“I thought you didn’t want me around,” I admitted.

She stared at me. “Why would you think that?”

I shrugged. “You looked fine without me.”

She laughed.

Actually laughed.

“That’s ridiculous,” she said. “I was waiting for you.”

Xin Ran

His expression softened.

“Oh,” he said quietly.

They reached the crossing. Rain tapped gently against the umbrella.

“Qin Yang,” she said, gathering courage, “you don’t have to pretend not to care.”

He looked at her, surprised.

“I don’t pretend very well,” he replied.

She smiled.

Still not a confession.

Still not a promise.

But something shifted.

Jealousy faded into warmth.

Awkwardness into quiet comfort.

As they parted, Qin Yang said, “Sit with me tomorrow?”

Xin Ran nodded. “Always.”

And once again, they walked home smiling—

still not together,

but closer than ever.

Still… almost.

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