Chapter 6: Hard to Read

Life holds billions of coincidences. Some accidental, some engineered, some long-wished fulfillment.
The rarest is meeting without planning.
And now—that was here at the crowded gate. One turn of the head. One look. A moment neither expected.
Jiang Ya’s step paused. Only a brief stall, then she walked toward her and stopped in front.
Wind lifted stray hair at Jiang Ya’s ear. Her eyes on her—gentle as always.
Voice light, greeting natural as before:
“Qi Yu? What a coincidence.”
“What are you doing here?”
Qi Yu came back, forced her mouth up. “Ah… yeah. Coincidence.”
“Waiting for someone.”
“Who?” Jiang Ya did not flicker like her.
Before Qi Yu answered, lip corner lifted, eyes half-smiling, suddenly:
“Waiting for me?”
“……” Qi Yu’s smile died. Face stiff.
A flash—old memory. Two girls in uniforms, similar words once.
Slow to answer, Jiang Ya quickly added: “I’m joking.”
“So who did you come for? Qi Xuan?”
“Yeah.”
Qi Yu nodded, looked away, lifted the workbook. “She forgot her mistake notebook. Asked me to bring it.”
“Oh…” Jiang Ya thoughtful. “Give it to me. I have evening study tonight—I can pass it to her.”
Qi Yu: “It’s fine. I’ve waited this long. She should… be out soon, right?”
Jiang Ya: “Mm… last period is physics. Might run late. Not too long though.”
Qi Yu: “I see…”
Nothing left to say.
Talk stopped dead.
Three under a tree by the gate. Students streamed past—noise all around.
Yet the clamor did not touch them. In their silence, awkwardness seeped through.
Tang Xuejun sized up Jiang Ya quietly.
When Jiang Ya noticed and looked back, Tang hooked an arm through Qi Yu’s, then glanced at her—meaning obvious.
Qi Yu shot her a sidelong look and shoved her off.
One look was enough for Tang to confirm her guess. She gave Qi Yu a loaded look back.
Qi Yu ignored her but could not ignore Jiang Ya still there.
Jiang Ya stood at her side, focused on her phone, no sign of leaving.
Whatever it was, she read it seriously—Qi Yu could not bring herself to ask her to go.
Standing there—leave awkward, stay awkward.
Tang had to pour oil on fire.
She took the initiative to greet Jiang Ya: “Hello. You’re… Qi Xuan’s homeroom teacher, right?”
Jiang Ya paused slightly, polite smile at once. “Yes. I’m her homeroom teacher. And you are…?”
Jiang Ya’s eyes moved between Tang and Qi Yu.
Qi Yu did not look at her—brow knit, glaring at Tang, wishing she could sew her mouth shut.
Tang ignored her, hand on Qi Yu’s shoulder. “Oh, I’m her friend. Uh… sort of Qi Xuan’s sister too. Xuan’s mentioned you before.”
“How should I address you, Teacher?”
“Jiang—ginger. Ya, as in elegance.” Jiang Ya smiled at her.
“Oh~~” Tang drew out the syllable, standard social smile on. “Teacher Jiang… I think Qi Yu said you knew each other in high school?”
Jiang Ya glanced at the someone turned away, silent, and smiled. “Yes. We were… classmates.”
“I see…”
“Tang Xuejun!” Seeing no end to it, Qi Yu could not bear it. Low voice: “Message Qi Xuan. Tell her to come out right now.”
Tang: “Why don’t you?”
Qi Yu said nothing. Glared.
Tang shrank her neck, obediently sent.
When Qi Xuan replied, voice message on speaker—Qi Yu nearly fainted.
【What? You’re at the gate? I didn’t see you when I left. Thought you weren’t here yet!】
【I can’t come now. Eating out with classmates! Tell my cousin leave the book at security. I’ll get it later……】
Before the message finished Qi Yu’s face was black.
Seeing her fury with nowhere to go, Jiang Ya could not help smiling, hand over mouth, laugh gone in a flash.
“Lots of people at the gate. Easy to miss. Leave it at security.”
She glanced at her watch.
“Past six. Have you eaten? Want to grab dinner together?”
“Huh?” Tang felt Jiang Ya’s initiative for real.
Jiang Ya’s manner was open and calm—no awkwardness toward Qi Yu. Not what she had imagined…
Tang sized up Jiang Ya again, quietly overturned her earlier theory in her head.
She sided with Qi Yu now.
*Hard to read. Really hard to read.*
Before Qi Yu spoke, Tang declined first. “You two go ahead. I’ll pass. Another time.”
?
Qi Yu looked at her in disbelief.
Tang looked back openly, arched brow. “Forgot? I told you—I have a date with my girlfriend tonight.”
She checked her phone. “Oh, almost time.”
Qi Yu: “Wait…”
Tang: “I’m off!”
Qi Yu: “……”
Tang ignored Qi Yu’s pleading eyes, headed for the subway, and on the way shot her a look.
Full of laughter. Obvious.
Qi Yu swallowed an eye-roll.
Tang gone—only the two of them. Sudden silence, both watching her retreat.
Qi Yu remembered Tang had mentioned girlfriend openly in front of Jiang Ya…
She stole a glance at Jiang Ya.
Jiang Ya’s expression normal—already looking at her, smiling. “Your friend’s fun. Seems easy to get along with.”
“Yeah.” Qi Yu laughed dry, looked down.
“So—dinner together?” Jiang Ya gave her no time to think, threw the question at once.
Choice pushed to her again.
Qi Yu looked up into Jiang Ya’s focused gaze.
Jiang Ya’s eyes were not stunning—but when she looked at someone, always gentle, sometimes a trace of smile you could not name, hard to look away.
That look easily bred wrong illusions.
Qi Yu had once.
Later Jiang Ya explained—it was courtesy, basic respect.
She was like that with everyone.
Graceful—and distant.
No one got close.
Only once she had seen another expression off that mask—surprise and panic that graduation night…
Qi Yu mocked herself inwardly.
She had meant to refuse. Staring at Jiang Ya’s unmoving smile, she changed her mind.
“Okay.” Qi Yu smiled too.
She had figured it out.
Why torture herself hiding. Exhausting. Just be friends.
What was there to avoid.
They had only ever been friends anyway.