Chapter 596

After hearing this, Xuecun Lingyin's mouth twitched slightly, unable to be suppressed.

"The grievances and entanglements of three boys... the truth is actually this... uh, this is truly eye-opening."

Xiyuanji Qilai raised her hand and gently scratched her flushed cheek with her fingertips, her expression a mix of shyness and oddity.

"Indeed..."

"I originally thought it was fighting over a girl, snatching the other's girlfriend... I didn't expect, they were snatching a boyfriend..."

Natsume Chikage couldn't help but laugh:

"When I first heard it, my reaction was about the same as yours; for a moment, I didn't know how to evaluate it."

"I can only say... the trends of the era are indeed quite different from before."

Hearing this, the two nodded gently.

"That's true."

"Indeed."

The topic came to an end there.

Natsume Chikage took the book "Cicada Rain" out of his school bag, preparing to start reading.

Xuecun Lingyin, who was on the side, caught a glimpse of his action and subconsciously raised the book she was reading higher, covering most of her cold face.

No one could see her expression at this moment, only her gaze wandered quietly, revealing a hint of shyness that was hard to capture.

She didn't speak to disturb him.

Deep in her heart, she was faintly looking forward to his thoughts after finishing it.

Seeing Natsume-kun open the book she had handed over in the morning, Xiyuanji Qilai's mood inexplicably became bright.

Naturally, she wouldn't go to disturb him.

In her impression, Natsume-kun always had his phone in his hand, and apart from class, she rarely saw him reading with a calm heart.

Although she had thought about persuading him to play fewer games or chat less, that was ultimately an excessive interference in others' freedom.

Seeing him take the initiative to pick up a book now, she was genuinely happy.

Afterward.

Xuecun Lingyin and Xiyuanji Qilai also buried their heads back into the book pages.

The club room was quiet, with only the faint sound of pages turning remaining.

The three waited quietly for the return of Classmate Tengyuan Kui, who was still sweating in the Track and Field Force.

The playground.

On the red track.

The members of the Track and Field Force were exercising.

On the sidelines.

Many boys' gazes followed, intentionally or unintentionally, the running figure of a girl—Classmate Tengyuan Kui.

Her expression was focused while running, completely different from her usual cheerful and energetic self.

Sweat beads slid down her temples, shimmering in the sunlight.

Although her speed was not as fast as the senior girl beside her, she followed closely, already quite outstanding among the girls.

Coupled with her bright appearance, she possessed quite a bit of popularity among the boys.

Training ended.

She panted slightly and walked toward the friend who had placed her belongings on the sidelines.

At this moment.

Yoshino Hidekazu, a first-year boy also in the Track and Field Force, walked over quickly and struck up a conversation:

"Classmate Tengyuan, you ran really fast just now. If you keep training like this, you might be able to participate in the next city women's tournament with the seniors."

Classmate Tengyuan Kui recognized him; they were in different classes, but both were first-years, and both were members of the same Track and Field Force.

However, training in the club was always separated by gender.

The differences in male and female physical structures were obvious, so training methods and intensity were naturally different, and the coach's arrangements were also independent.

So she had only seen him and wasn't familiar with him.

Classmate Tengyuan Kui wiped her sweat with a towel and responded politely:

"Thank you. I will work hard."

After speaking, she prepared to leave.

Yoshino Hidekazu, however, moved sideways a step, blocking her path, with an expectant smile on his face:

"Classmate Tengyuan... are you free after school? I and a few club members, as well as the senior who ran with us just now, plan to go to a nearby restaurant to eat and then sing karaoke."

"Would you like to come along?"

Classmate Tengyuan Kui paused slightly, then shook her head, her tone gentle yet firm:

"Thank you for the invitation. But sorry, I have to work after school."

"You guys have fun."

The smile on Yoshino Hidekazu's face dimmed; he could only watch her turn and leave, walking toward the shade of the trees where her friends gathered.

He returned to his small circle somewhat dejectedly.

A girl he was familiar with saw this and asked with a teasing smile:

"How was it, was the invitation successful?"

Yoshino Hidekazu shook his head:

"She said she has to work."

The girl chuckled:

"See, I told you to give up earlier. You just wouldn't believe me."

Yoshino Hidekazu was puzzled:

"Why do you say that?"

The girl lowered her voice and explained:

"Because Classmate Tengyuan is almost always with Natsume-kun most of the time. And they even work at the same coffee shop."

"Even their club is the same, the 'Collection Force', right?"

"She only chatters and laughs especially happily when she's next to Natsume-kun. She's never been that bright with other boys."

"Isn't it obvious that she likes Natsume-kun? Many people in our Track and Field Force have noticed. Are you a bit silly for still hitting a brick wall?"

Yoshino Hidekazu was stunned, completely not expecting that his feelings hadn't even been expressed yet, and he had already been sentenced to "death."

"But... there are so many girls who like Natsume-kun... she... might not necessarily succeed either, right?"

The girl rested her chin on her hand, thoughtful:

"Hmm... that's true too."

Hearing this.

The little flame that was almost extinguished in Yoshino Hidekazu's eyes flickered weakly again.

He whispered the name, as if weighing an invisible opponent:

"Natsume Chikage..."

The Collection Force.

It was quiet and silent at this moment.

The afternoon sunlight shone through the window, casting long, warm spots of light on the floor.

A breeze blew in, gently lifting the light-colored curtains and also playing with Natsume Chikage's fine black hair.

His side profile as he lowered his eyes to read appeared clear-cut and exceptionally good-looking in the halo of light.

This quiet and beautiful picture inadvertently fell into the eyes of Xiyuanji Qilai and Xuecun Lingyin, who occasionally looked up.

Their calm hearts seemed to have been cast with a small stone, causing subtle, imperceptible ripples.

The words in their hands seemed to have lost their attraction, and their gazes always drifted toward the same direction involuntarily, quietly lingering for a moment.

Just at this moment.

"Clatter—"

The club room door was suddenly pulled open.

Classmate Tengyuan Kui hugged a huge board game box and jumped in full of vitality.