Jumping from a Building

After dropping Chen Qin off at the company entrance, Ye Shuang said, "We're here. Remember to take your medicine on time."

"I'll take it if you supervise me."

"How about a fist the size of a sandbag instead?"

Chen Qin playfully punched Ye Shuang's shoulder before stepping out of the car. Her appearance naturally drew a flood of attention—after all, she was the company's CEO. Employees nearby immediately began greeting her with respectful "Good morning, CEO Chen"s.

"Morning," Chen Qin responded, then winked at Ye Shuang in the sports car before turning away.

Ye Shuang watched as Chen Qin entered the building before driving off.

"Good morning, CEO Chen."

"Morning."

"CEO Chen, good morning."

"Morning."

Once separated from Ye Shuang, Chen Qin's playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a calm, almost stern expression as she shifted into work mode.

While waiting for the elevator, Chen Qin noticed a man standing beside her—dressed in a suit, his hair slicked back, and wearing gold-rimmed glasses.

"CEO Chen, I thought you'd be here earlier," the man said with a smile. "How about dinner tonight? I’ve got my hands on an '88 Romanée-Conti—perfect for a light drink."

"Already thinking about dinner in the morning? Manager Yang, you must have a lot of free time lately," Chen Qin remarked, glancing at him with a faint smile.

Compared to the warmth she showed Ye Shuang, this smile felt more like a polite facade.

"Work-life balance, you know. If I weren’t so busy, I’d invite you to lunch too."

"No need for the courtesy, Manager Yang. You should focus on your work. The company’s been swamped lately—we all need to put in the effort."

"Uh…"

Back in her office, Chen Qin instructed her assistant to fetch her coffee before settling into her chair. After a moment’s thought, she pulled out her phone—

Chen Qin: What’s for dinner tonight?

[Typing…]

Ye Shuang: You’re that free? It’s barely morning and you’re already asking about dinner.

Chen Qin: I am free. Want me to get you a job here? You can sit right next to me and slack off together.

Ye Shuang: Focus on work. The light’s about to turn green here.

Chen Qin set her phone aside and forced herself to concentrate. She was busy tonight—she had to travel out of town to sign a contract.

Meanwhile, Ye Shuang arrived at the school.

"Good morning, Teacher Bai."

"Morning."

A few familiar teachers greeted him, still mistaking him for "Teacher Bai." With so many faculty members at Yinshan Academy, it was easy to mix people up, especially across different grades.

When Ye Shuang entered the infirmary, however, he froze.

A girl sat by the window, half her body dangling precariously over the edge. A faint breeze lifted her hair, carrying a hint of chill.

Before Ye Shuang could speak, the girl turned her head. Beneath her perfectly straight bangs, her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. A droplet rolled down her chin and landed soundlessly on her skirt.

"An Shiyu… why are you crying?" Ye Shuang stared in disbelief, even wondering if she was faking it.

Who could possibly make her cry?

Spotting Ye Shuang, An Shiyu wiped her tears with her sleeve, then—without hesitation—leaped out the window.

"NO!!" Ye Shuang lunged toward the window, expecting the worst. But when he looked down, An Shiyu wasn’t sprawled on the ground. Instead, she’d landed smoothly, rolled, and sprinted out of sight.

Ye Shuang: "…"

Is this what ninjas do?

This was the second floor.

Shaking his head, Ye Shuang turned to go after her—only to find An Shiyu already standing behind him, hands in her pockets, chewing gum lazily.

"Huh?"

"Uncle, why so jumpy?" An Shiyu drawled.

"Are you… human or a ghost?" Ye Shuang eyed her, then pointed at the window. "Didn’t you just jump out?"

An Shiyu glanced at the window and shrugged. "Impressive, right?"

"That’s not the point?!"

"Just a magic trick. You’re such a country bumpkin, uncle." With that, she plopped onto a nearby sickbed and started playing a game.

Ye Shuang couldn’t shake the odd feeling, but he let it go, chalking it up to some ninja illusion.

Since he’d arrived late, noon came quickly. Ye Shuang had promised Bai Yuyou they’d spend lunch together, so after shelving some books, he headed straight for the cafeteria.

"Coming?" he asked An Shiyu before leaving. She merely rolled over on the bed. "Nah."

Ye Shuang didn’t press further. He closed the infirmary door gently and walked off.

On the bed, An Shiyu sat up again, hugging her knees. Her gaze drifted to the window. After a few seconds, her lips moved silently.

"Idiot."

…

At the cafeteria entrance, Ye Shuang met Bai Yuyou and Tang Keke.

"Brother!"

"Ye Shuang…"

"You can’t hug me like this at school," Ye Shuang said, pinching Bai Yuyou’s cheek as she clung to him. "What’s for lunch?"

"We were thinking of eating on the rooftop," Tang Keke said. "We’ll grab takeout."

"Rooftop?"

"Yeah."

Students who disliked crowded spaces—or brought their own meals—often ate in classrooms or on the rooftop. Ye Shuang didn’t object.

He grabbed a takeout box of barbecued pork rice, while the girls picked their own meals. Compared to Bai Yuyou’s towering stack of containers, Tang Keke’s lunchbox was barely the size of her palm.

"Eating so little?" Ye Shuang asked.

"Dieting," Tang Keke admitted, blushing slightly.

"You’re not overweight," Ye Shuang said. "Your figure’s fine. Why diet?"

Though Tang Keke had a bit of baby fat on her cheeks, she was far from "chubby"—unless you counted her slightly oversized backpack.

She wasn’t even close to "slightly plump."

"But my clothes from six months ago don’t fit anymore! Waaah!" Tang Keke wailed. "I must have gained weight!"

Ye Shuang: "…"

Or maybe certain areas just… developed?

Just then, he felt a tug on his sleeve. Bai Yuyou stared up at him, expressionless.

"Ye Shuang… am I fat?"