Unorthodox

"Looks like I'm going to get busy again."

"Yeah, since the annual school festival is coming up again. Anyway, having a whole week of fun sounds pretty great."

"Isn't there a sequel to that 'Lin Daiyu Wreaking Havoc in Heaven'? Think we'll get to see it this year?"

"No idea."

Walking toward the school infirmary, Ye Shuang overheard the students passing by. He tilted his head slightly. "The school festival is coming up again?"

Seemed that way.

Last year was the seventieth anniversary, so this year would be the seventy-first, right?

But this time, he probably wouldn't have much time to join in on the school festival activities. The second half of the year was pretty tight, between next month's wedding and Aunt Xian's concert—all of that would take up time.

"Guess I've just gotten used to being busy," Ye Shuang thought to himself.

"Those days of waiting in that little apartment for Bai Yuyou to get out of school seem long gone now."

Ye Shuang's life had always been hectic, especially after graduating and entering the corporate world. He basically maintained a high-intensity work schedule, and any free time he had went to Zhao Mengyao. So those quiet days waiting for Bai Yuyou to get out of school still held a tender spot in his heart.

People often can't actively choose their own lives. Or maybe they do choose, only to end up on a completely different path through twists of fate.

Ye Shuang rested his hands on the railing. The sunlight just happened to be perfect right then—both the warmth falling on the back of his hands and the heat radiating from the rail below felt comfortable.

He gazed down at the students strolling in twos and threes, unconsciously searching for the figure of a certain girl.

But at this hour, she should still be in class, right?

"Phew." Just as Ye Shuang was slowly exhaling and thinking of heading back to the infirmary, he heard a similar sigh beside him. "Phew—"

Ye Shuang paused slightly, then turned his head to look. He found a long-haired girl standing next to him, her arms stretched out over the railing, her body practically leaning on it.

"The sunlight's pretty nice today."

The person beside him was naturally Anshi Yi. For some reason, she was still wearing a jacket, with her fingers tucked into the long sleeves, only the tips peeking out. She also had a pair of cat-ear headphones on, glinting faintly in the sun.

"It's been a few days since I last saw you. Where've you been?" Ye Shuang asked.

"Well..." Anshi Yi paused, then leaned her body sideways on the railing, her beautiful eyes narrowing slightly. "Uncle, are you that interested in what I do?"

"If you're willing to give me a thousand bucks, I'll answer your question."

"That's pretty pricey."

"It's a real deal. Everyone else has to pay ten grand. I'm giving you 90% off." Anshi Yi said, extending a finger from her sleeve, wiggling it in the sunlight like a little fish.

"Anyone ever bought it?" Ye Shuang simply asked.

"So I'm giving you my first time."

"Don't say stuff that's easy to misunderstand..."

"Uncle, you're just standing here spacing out. Reminiscing about your youth?" Anshi Yi looked sleepy, yawning as her voice took on a hint of tiredness.

"Well, it's not really reminiscing about youth." Ye Shuang didn't know how to answer her question. After a pause, he decided to change the subject. "So where did you go these past few days?"

"A thousand bucks." Anshi Yi held out her hand.

"Put it on my tab."

"Freeloading? So that's the kind of person you are, huh, Uncle?" Anshi Yi covered her mouth with her sleeve, her eyes scanning Ye Shuang up and down. "Makes sense, since you really like feeling up my legs while you work."

"Won't even give me a hundred bucks, and you say you love me."

Anshi Yi's voice caught the attention of a few passing students, but before they could turn around for the gossip, Anshi Yi had already been swept away by Ye Shuang, who grabbed her and started running.

"Are you trying to get me kicked out of school?! And all I did was move your legs, okay?"

"Hey—isn't that still touching?" Anshi Yi sighed.

"..."

"Mad?" Anshi Yi asked, noticing his silence.

"Nope."

Anshi Yi punched his stomach a couple of times with her fist, then looked up. "Mad?"

"No." Ye Shuang's face was blank.

"Still not mad?" Anshi Yi put on some brass knuckles.

"Thump!"

Ye Shuang pulled back his hand-chopping strike and let out a sigh. "Really..."

Probably only he could put up with Anshi Yi's weird temper. Was it maybe because he was too lenient?

Just as Ye Shuang started questioning himself, Anshi Yi reached under her skirt and pulled out a piece of fabric. "My bad. Here, you were running so fast, wipe the sweat off your forehead."

"Yeah." Ye Shuang took the cloth and wiped the sweat from his forehead, but then realized something was off. He spread it out—it was a triangle with a bow on it.

Ye Shuang: "..."

This scene felt strangely familiar.

"Did you grab the wrong thing?!"

"Oh, sorry. But it's fine—it's not mine anyway."

"Put it away properly!"

Anshi Yi looked at the underwear that had been shoved back at her, thinking for a moment. "You don't want it? I thought you'd like it."

"What do you think?" Ye Shuang just glanced at her.

"You want mine?" Anshi Yi looked down at her own skirt. "I might not even be wearing anything today."

"Why are you even hung up on this?!"

Rubbing his forehead, Ye Shuang decided to ignore Anshi Yi and walked straight toward the infirmary not far ahead.

Anshi Yi followed with little steps, her stride carrying a hint of playfulness.

Pushing open the infirmary door, Ye Shuang noticed a short-haired girl sitting in a chair, reading a book. She was holding a novel, but when she saw the door open, she glanced at Ye Shuang—and then at—

Anshi Yi, standing behind him, spinning a triangular piece of fabric on her finger like someone twirling a fan.

The next second, it slipped off and flew through the air, caught neatly by An Shiyu.

The familiar feel made An Shiyu pause. She looked down at it.

Soon, expressionless, she stood up, staring at Anshi Yi.

"Do you have a problem?!"

"What's wrong with you?!"

"Why are you waving my—" An Shiyu seemed a bit angry. "—around like that?!"

"How unfair! You forgot to put it away, and I took it down to ask if you still wanted it, and you said no."

The two of them seemed about to start fighting, clattering loudly. Ye Shuang, used to this, went back to his seat. Not long after, he felt the fabric land right on top of his head.

Ye Shuang: "..."

When he took it off, he noticed a white clock on it.

Huh?

No way.

Remote as that tombstone was, was it going to be this creepy now?