Li Caiyi had expected this, but sure enough, she still couldn't accept it.
Her gaze fell to the figure who was currently reading something and sat on the bench in the teacher's office. It was still early in the morning, yet his appearance was enough to distract almost every girl from the exam, which was supposed to be held any minute now.
Dai Zhiqiang told her he would come early to do some of his librarian jobs and submit all his delayed assignments simultaneously. Hence, she thought she could come early and perhaps talk a bit with him. Her thought was too naive because the rumor about his return had spread to the entire school.
"You are right. He is so cool and handsome! Kinda similar vibe with Senior Li, but this one is spicier!"
"Right? Senior Li is neat and a perfectionist; Senior Meng is sunny and gentle, but Dai Zhiqiang has this mysterious and dark charm about him. I can't get enough!"
"I was planning to kill you if you force me to wake up early today only to find an ugly sitting there, but I think I won't kill you, after all."
Li Caiyi wanted to roll her eyes, listening to these crowds' whispers. Dai Zhiqiang wasn't an object to gawk at, but these girls were so eager to see him they couldn't wait and came so early.
'Wait, isn't that what I did too, though?' Li Caiyi tilted her head, feeling a bit self-conscious at the idea of being compared to these teenage girls.
Dai Zhiqiang raised his eyes when a teacher came over and talked to him about something. He bowed his head slightly before walking towards the entrance.
"He is coming over here! Look at my hair. Is it fine?!"
"I'm so nervous. His charm is just too much to bear."
"What should I do? I think I'm going to be his fan!"
Well, now that wasn't good news at all. Li Caiyi was drained from dealing with Meng Renshu's fans, but now if she had to face Dai Zhiqiang fans too, her body wouldn't be able to take it.
There was also a wave of murky and uncomfortable feelings in the pit of her stomach whenever she thought about how other girls began to pay attention to Dai Zhiqiang. It felt like something she had kept preciously hidden from other people, slowly getting discovered.
The image of talking leisurely in the library alone in her mind shattered into pieces when Dai Zhiqiang was surrounded by a hoard of girls before he could even step outside the room.
"Hey, you are Dai Zhiqiang from class 2-A, right? Where have you been in the past few days?"
"I actually have always wanted to be friends with you. Can we be friends now?"
Dai Zhiqiang's brows creased slightly when they blocked his way and even bombarded him with questions.
Li Caiyi, who stood at the most behind, couldn't get close to him, but she could tell he was annoyed from his facial expression.
"Who are you guys? Do I even know you?" Dai Zhiqiang said in a chilly voice.
"We are in the same year as you. You can't tell?" replied one of the girls with flashy makeup on her face.
"No, I don't know you and have no intention of getting acquainted with you."
"Don't be embarrassed. We weren't trying to bother you. We just want to be friends with you. How about we exchange contacts first? We can talk more later if you are busy."
Dai Zhiqiang's frown deepened before he spat out words he had held back. "Why would I do that with you guys? Get out of my way. You are blocking my way.
His gaze and tone were so cold that the bright and flirty smiles on those girls' faces gradually faded. The girls exchanged glances with each other. They wondered what they should do or urged each other to talk to him more.
Eventually, the one with flashy makeup was chosen as the lead. She tucked her hair behind her ear before flashing a coquettish smile.
"Zhiqiang, don't be so cold. We really just want to be closer to you. We heard you are finally returning to school, and we are happy to hear that."
Dai Zhiqiang shot her a dark glare, and the smile on her face stiffened. "Why should I care? I already said I don't intend to be friends with you. Get lost."
"Are you embarrassed?"
"You are delusional if you still think that way when I have already made my intention perfectly clear. Leave me alone."
It was like the hallway was attacked by a snow blizzard because it suddenly felt cold after he said those merciless words. He didn't give that girl any face and outrightly chased her away.
Noticing that those girls only stayed rooted at their place and did not intend to leave, he clicked his tongue in irritation.
"What a bad way to start a day by talking to some pest. This is annoying."
The spite and venom in his words were apparent to whoever listened to him.
Li Caiyi didn't want to admit it, but even she felt intimidated by the overwhelming pressure exuded from him. Although she knew how gentle he could be, when she looked at him like this, it was like she saw a different person altogether.
It made her happy that Dai Zhiqiang treated her sweetly, but she couldn't help but pity those girls. Especially that girl with flashy makeup. Her face was drained of all colors, and she had to be supported by her friends to stand up properly. His rejection must have shocked her to the bone.
Dai Zhiqiang paid them no heed and walked on the opposite side he intended to. Judging from the direction, he most likely wanted to go to the library.
Li Caiyi turned around and ran in the opposite direction so she could go there without alerting these girls. She could take a slight detour, and she would be able to talk with Dai Zhiqiang.
When she arrived at the library, she found Dai Zhiqiang diligently sorting out some books on the return table, where the books returned were stacked. A small smile escaped her lips at the familiar sight.
Dai Zhiqiang jerked his head at the sound of the door being opened. At first, he had a pissed look, but the hard line on his features softened when he noticed Li Caiyi standing at the door.
"Caiyi, so it's you," He said in his usual calm tone.
After she heard how he spoke to those girls, his current tone sounded very kind now. It warmed her heart knowing that she was the one he used that tone with.
"Zhiqiang, you are early today." Li Caiyi walked over and looked down at the stack of books in front of her. "Shall I help you with this?"
She occasionally helped out in the library, so it wouldn't be hard for her to do it again. When she reached out and was about to take a book, a bigger hand covered her hand. The warmth emanating from his hand seeped through hers and spread throughout her body.
"Rather than that, let's do something else, instead."
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