They exchanged a look.
Lu Mian said in a low voice, “Thank you.”
There was a hint of frustration in her voice.
Xiao Qimo gave her a quick once-over, saw the annoyed look, and her hands were in her pockets. He smiled slightly and handed her an unopened pack of cigarette and lighter.
“Looking for these?”
Xiao Qimo’s observation skills were really impressive.
“I haven’t smoked in a long time. I carried them just in case,” he explained ineffably.
Lu Mian was startled. She regained her wits and took the lighter but not the packet of cigarette. “I promised someone not to smoke.”
Xiao Qimo watched her lean lazily against the wall before he had the chance to recover from her words. Her white, slender fingers rubbed against the wheel of the lighter producing a small cluster of flame.
She was smelling the lighter gas.
From time to time, she even flicked the flame with her fingertips with a cynical diffidence and detachment.
She wasn’t just provoking the flame.
Xiao Qimo’s Adam’s apple rolled a little, but he still reminded her kindly, “Lighter gas contains butane which is bad for your health.”
“It is bad.” Lu Mian smiled. “But it can numb the nerves and calm people down.”
Xiao Qimo sensed some complexity from her voice. “You know that girl?”
Actually, he was very keen to ask about their story.
It was also his first time trying to actively understand a girl’s mind.
He had even missed the chance to search for Thirteen because of this selfishness.
Lu Mian gave him an absentminded smile. Her fingertips closed the lighter cover, making a crisp ‘click’ sound. She tossed it at Xiao Qimo. The high-grade metal drew a graceful arc in the air, and then steadily fell into the man’s palm.
“I’m going in to see Sui Yuan.”
Xiao Qimo clutched the slightly heated lighter. His lips curled up as darkness filled his profound eyes beneath the gold-framed glasses.
Lu Mian entered the room and saw Sui Yuan.
Sui Yuan’s face was pale. Her head hung low and she didn’t speak, like a child who had made a mistake.
Lu Mian casually touched her small, flat head. It felt prickly.
She neither asked why nor reprimanded Sui Yuan. Instead, she asked bluntly, “You wish to join the physics competition?”
Sui Yuan nodded, again depressed. “But the registration form is with the teacher…”
“Heh, what’s the big deal?” Lu Mian laughed easily. “There are your fingerprints in the room next door. Go in there and rest after you pack up. I’ll go back to school first.”
Seeing that she was leaving, Sui Yuan grabbed a corner of her blouse with concern. “Mianmian, don’t fight… you will get hurt.”
Lu Mian knew she was worried about her. She simply waved her hand in an understatement.
“They will. I won’t.”
Her words were wild and arrogant, but without pretense.
“But…”
In Lu Mian’s opinion, Sui Yuan looked weak, and yet she was trying so hard to care about others. Lu Mian couldn’t stop herself from reaching out her fist and gave the little girl a hard knock on her head.
“Mianmian…”
Before Sui Yuan became more shy, Lu Mian retracted her fist and turned to leave. She turned back and winked at Sui Yuan, looking cool but amorous.
Sui Yuan froze. Her pale face blushed at a rate which was visible to the naked eye.
Xiao Qimo and Ye Jinwen stood side by side. They felt something was wrong with the scene they had just witnessed.
When he heard the sound of the door closing from outside, Ye Jinwen hurried over to Sui Yuan’s side with a gossipy face.
“Little girl, what is going on with you and Lu Mian?”
“We, ah…” Sui Yuan smiled timidly. “… are past friends.”
…
In the school, Elder Su received the news that Sui Yuan was safe and he notified the school as well.
Some of the teachers were glad that there was no trouble!
It was also fortunate that Elder Su had enlisted the help of the God. That helped to find Sui Yuan quickly.
Otherwise, the consequences were truly unthinkable.
“Elder Su, we should thank this God!”
Elder Su nodded approvingly. His weather-beaten eyes carried a complexity that others couldn’t understand.
His voice was distant. “It’s time to thank her properly…”