Summer Green Apples

She was all alone in the equipment room, and the playground and basketball court in the distance were also deserted. Accompanied by the pattering of raindrops, it seemed as if she was the only person left in the whole world.

Everyone else has gone to class.

It seems she was left behind.

Ji Xiwen blinked.

It's that familiar feeling again...

Although she grew up with her grandparents, besides her and Ji Rong, there was also her uncle's family of four.

My uncle's family lives next door. There is a doorway connecting the two single-story houses, and they usually eat together as a group of eight.

My aunt always speaks in a sarcastic tone, feeling that my grandparents spend too much money on her and that they favor their eldest son.

Her parents didn't want her, and her grandparents had three children and four grandchildren, so it was impossible for them to only favor her.

Even now, having come to the Chi family, they are still outsiders.

I transferred to a new school and entered a new class, but I was still an outsider.

She's been used to this feeling since she was a child.

Ji Xiwen reached out and caught a handful of rain. The air was filled with the smell of dust being washed away by the rain.

Suddenly, a black umbrella appeared in the distance.

Her gaze froze.

The sky was overcast and a torrential downpour was underway. The sound of rain was dense and continuous. The rubber track had an old, dark hue. He walked from the lawn and then across the track, his figure under the umbrella appearing exceptionally tall and slender.

He was wearing a long-sleeved autumn school uniform, but perhaps finding it not flexible enough, he rolled up the sleeves to his elbows.

The forearm has smooth, soft lines, while the wrist bones are sharp and the lines have a cool, angular feel.

As he approached, he slightly raised his wrist, revealing his face. "Let's go."

"Um?"

Ji Xiwen asked instinctively, "Why are you here?"

Someone just told me you didn't bring an umbrella.

Chi Sui said lazily, his gaze falling on Ji Xiwen's face.

Her hair was wet and split like a pot lid, clearly revealing her eyebrows.

Ji Xiwen's hometown is in the far north, making him a true northerner.

Chi Sui, however, always thought she looked like a southerner.

Her eyebrows were curved and thin, her eyes were dark and bright, her gaze was gentle, and her chin was pointed. Especially when she smiled, the corners of her eyes would curve slightly, filled with tiny glimmers of light, like stars.

She naturally has a pure and innocent look, and her personality seems a bit slow. Her expression is always somewhat shy, with a hazy, fragile quality.

Staring at someone so directly isn't a good look.

He subconsciously lowered his eyelids again.

Ji Xiwen's school uniform short-sleeved shirt was damp from the rain. The material was already thin, leading many to question whether the school had cut corners and was secretly making money.

The fabric on her chest was now transparent, revealing a hint of light pink.

Ji Xiwen was completely unaware.

Chi Sui glanced at it and quickly looked away, handing the umbrella to Ji Xiwen.

Before he could even speak, Ji Xiwen had already taken it without asking.

After all, she only stayed at home for a few weekends, and she heard Aunt Chen mutter quite a few things about Chi Sui being a lazy bum.

It's understandable that someone might be too lazy to use an umbrella.

Faced with such an understanding younger sister, Chi Sui paused for a moment, unzipped his school uniform jacket, quickly took it off, and threw it into Ji Xiwen's arms.

Ji Xiwen was stunned for a moment.

Chi Sui had already turned her head away, her ears tinged with a faint blush. "Put it on."

Ji Xiwen frowned. "Why?"

"Just wear it." Chi Sui glanced down at his watch and said, "Class starts in one minute, put it on and go back."

Ji Xiwen was puzzled and was about to refuse when she noticed his uncomfortable expression. Suddenly, she had a flash of inspiration and looked down at him.

He tightened his grip on Chi Sui's school uniform jacket, paused awkwardly for a few seconds, then put it on without a word and zipped it up.

Suppressing her embarrassment, she held up her umbrella and said, "Let's go then."

Chi then walked under the umbrella.

The two walked a few steps side by side, and Chi clicked his tongue, "I'm 1.87 meters tall."

"Huh?" Ji Xiwen was taken aback. "Why are you starting to say your height?"

Chi Sui remained silent for a few seconds, then stopped and called her by her full name, "Ji Xiwen, do you use all your intelligence for studying?"

Ji Xiwen stopped and looked at him. "Yeah."

She was sincere.

Chi Sui: "..."

He was so angry he laughed. "Give me the umbrella."

Ji Xi obediently handed him the umbrella.

After Chi took it, the umbrella's altitude suddenly increased.

Ji Xi realized belatedly that she had raised her hand too low.

"I'm sorry," she apologized awkwardly.

"……fine."

Chi Sui felt helpless.

In all his life, this was the first time he had ever met someone like Ji Xiwen.

It can make him furious, and then calm him down in a second.

Just as she stepped onto the rubber track, the school bell rang, and Ji Xiwen could no longer hear the person next to her breathing.

With hearing interfered with and vision blocked by the rain, the senses of smell and touch become even more pronounced.

Chi Sui guessed that he had just put on the jacket he was wearing not long ago. It had a faint smoky scent, mainly mint and lime, which was very refreshing. It was not like the smell of ordinary laundry detergent or soap powder. Instead, it penetrated deep into the fabric fibers and had a long-lasting fragrance. It was not very noticeable when he was talking to Chi Sui.

The scent is only noticeable when you wear it now.

This smells quite nice.

Ji Xiwen lowered her head and sniffed.

Chi Sui happened to catch her movement.

It felt like I'd been pricked by a needle, specifically on my most sensitive nerve, making me feel like I was partially paralyzed; even the umbrella in my hand trembled.

He secretly glanced at Ji Xiwen with a completely new look.

It's not that he's narcissistic, but who would smell a woman's clothes like that?

He looked ahead, silently leaned outwards, and the fabric on his shoulder was instantly soaked by raindrops. He then leaned back.

The two remained silent all the way to the teaching building.

The entrance to the teaching building was deserted. There were several steps leading up to it, and a girl stood at the top of the steps. She was wearing a pink and white pleated skirt and a fitted short-sleeved T-shirt, with long, wavy hair draped over her shoulders. At that moment, she looked at the two of them with a hint of anger on her face.

Ji Xi heard that Bi Chi had discovered Meng Le Ran before he could.

Chi noticed her standing there and instinctively followed her gaze.

When he caught sight of Meng Leran, he didn't react much. He simply folded up his umbrella and shook the raindrops outwards.

"Chi Sui".

Meng Leran was the first to break the silence.

Ji Xiwen subconsciously said, "You guys chat, I'm going back to class."

"Stop! You're not allowed to leave." Meng Leran took a step forward, blocking Ji Xiwen's path. Her gaze fell on Ji Xiwen's oversized coat, which was almost reaching her thighs.

It's clearly a men's jacket.

She glanced again at the short-sleeved shirt Chi Sui was wearing, her eyes practically red with jealousy.

She pointed a finger at Ji Xiwen, but her eyes were fixed on Chi Sui, as if trying to see his expression. "What's your relationship with her? Is that school uniform she's wearing yours?"

Chi Sui gave a casual twitch of his lips, too lazy to even smile, his gaze somewhat indifferent. "What's it to you?"

"Why not?" Meng Leran screamed in despair, "You know perfectly well how much I like you!"