Chapter Thirty-Five: Turning a Deaf Ear to the Turtle’s Chant

“There won’t be a next time…” Jiang Mu Wen whispered softly into Wen Yi Chen’s ear, for falling down was hardly pleasant, and no one wished for it to happen again.

At her words, Wen Yi Chen couldn’t help but let out a quiet chuckle. “That’s not certain. With someone as clumsy as you, I wouldn’t be surprised if you fell five or six more times.”

Jiang Mu Wen felt utterly wounded by Wen Yi Chen’s merciless jab. She’d run her heart out and even placed in the race, yet instead of praise, he chose to stab her with another two blows?

“Wen Yi Chen, you…” She started, but the words caught in her throat, swallowed down by her own restraint. Catching sight of Wen Yi Chen’s slightly reddened ears, a mischievous little idea flickered through her mind—she might not win a war of words, but she could certainly stir things up.

With that thought, she began to make a fuss, acting very much like a child denied sweet treats and now throwing a tantrum. “I am not a fool!”

Though her movements weren’t large, they were enough to throw Wen Yi Chen off balance. He was forced to halt, his tone urgent: “Jiang Mu Wen, stop moving!”

But the more he spoke, the more she wanted to defy him. Not only did she refuse to stop, she became even more determined. “I’ll move if I want to!”

“We’ll fall if you keep this up!”

“Not listening, not listening—the turtle’s chanting!”

Seeing Jiang Mu Wen so stubborn, Wen Yi Chen knew words wouldn’t sway her. He decided to try a different approach.

Suddenly, his hands loosened.

“Ah—” The abrupt sense of falling startled Jiang Mu Wen, making her eyes snap shut as she instinctively reached out, hooking her arms around Wen Yi Chen’s neck. She clung to him tightly, holding on as tenaciously as a sloth hugging a tree.

Her unexpected embrace left Wen Yi Chen momentarily stunned, and then his blood seemed to rush wildly through him.

Her head was buried in the hollow of his neck, her warm, hurried breaths brushing against his skin, spreading a tingling sensation all around him.

He tensed, and an involuntary flush crept up his cheeks.

At that moment, no one but Wen Yi Chen himself knew that something was happening to him.

The air seemed frozen in time as Jiang Mu Wen cautiously opened her eyes. She looked at the boy before her; his cheeks were already tinged with a faint blush, and his clear eyes held a flicker of bewilderment.

This vulnerable side of him struck Jiang Mu Wen as unexpectedly endearing.

“Wen Yi Chen…?” she asked tentatively.

“Mm?” Wen Yi Chen tried to compose himself, glancing back at her.

But Jiang Mu Wen had no way of knowing that, beneath his calm facade, he was already in utter turmoil.

“Are you alright?” she asked gently, for Wen Yi Chen’s demeanor seemed… unusual.

“I’m fine…” Wen Yi Chen shifted his gaze away, deliberately coughed, and said, “Hold on tight, and stop moving…”

Her earlier actions had hit Wen Yi Chen, a bashful young man, like a bolt from the blue.

Jiang Mu Wen obediently responded, adjusting herself for comfort and whispered in his ear, “Then don’t let go again…”

“Don’t worry, I won’t let go anymore.”

And so, Wen Yi Chen carried Jiang Mu Wen on his back, paying no mind to the stares of passersby, walking slowly toward home.

The journey was quiet; neither spoke. Jiang Mu Wen simply lay on his back, basking in the warm afternoon sunlight, watching the tuft of hair atop Wen Yi Chen’s head sway gently in the breeze.

Though falling had been a tragic ordeal for her, it now felt strangely beautiful. This small, sweet moment was a precious gift from youth.

At last, Wen Yi Chen carried Jiang Mu Wen into the apartment building. He raised his hand and pressed the elevator button. “Let’s go straight to my place today…”

It was Friday, and since Jiang Mu Wen had hurt her leg, Wen Yi Chen decided to take her directly to his house so she wouldn’t have to walk back and forth.

After dinner, Wen Yi Chen, as usual, tutored Jiang Mu Wen.

He switched on the desk lamp and moved habitually closer. “The midterms are next week. Let me walk you through the key points now.”

He pulled out a blank sheet of paper but paused, then changed his mind. “Let’s try something different today.”

His new method was a question-and-answer review, hoping it would help Jiang Mu Wen remember the material more thoroughly.

But soon, Wen Yi Chen realized he’d made a terrible mistake—faced with Jiang Mu Wen’s endless confusion, he first doubted his own abilities, then wondered if he’d ever actually taught her these points before, and finally began to question his entire existence.

In the end, Wen Yi Chen slammed his pen down in frustration. “Jiang Mu Wen! How did your brain get you into Class A?”

Sensing his meltdown, Jiang Mu Wen timidly replied, “I… prayed to a few lucky charms before the exam… and got in…”

Her answer struck Wen Yi Chen as utterly absurd—he’d never believed in such superstitions. “If lucky charms worked, why would anyone bother studying?”

Noticing the displeasure in his tone, Jiang Mu Wen hung her head, not daring to say another word.

“Forget it…” Wen Yi Chen sighed, picking up the pen he’d thrown, “I’ll go over all the key points one last time—listen carefully…”

Thus, Wen Yi Chen spent several days tutoring Jiang Mu Wen so she could do well on her midterm exams.

On the night before the test, Jiang Mu Wen was still seated at Wen Yi Chen’s desk, diligently reviewing the notes he’d prepared, while Wen Yi Chen lounged beside her, idly scrolling through his phone.

No one knew that Wen Yi Chen was secretly opening a social app, then raising his hand to gently poke the girl beside him: “Jiang Mu Wen, is this the lucky charm you prayed to?”