IRWTBWY Chapter 2.2

 A little tired, she sat down next to the railings on the stairs to hide from the wind.

‘In order to see the male god...what are you afraid of?’

While resting for a few minutes, she muttered to herself as she planned the plot of her next manhua.  

While reminiscing on the first time she met Ji Yanxi, a low, faint voice suddenly caught her ears. 

It sounded a bit familiar.

Qi Nian looked up. 

A young man was holding an umbrella and walking up the stairs. 

The rain landed on his umbrella in big fat droplets. Lowering his gaze, he held his phone with one hand and slightly tilted his head to answer it. 

Walking into the corridor, he glanced up casually. 

Qi Nian was frozen in place, sitting on the steps and blankly staring at him. 

Ji Yanxi only took a glance, and then slightly loosened the umbrella handle. As the wet umbrella dangled in front of him, he held its handle and forcibly closed it. 

The water droplets from the umbrella fell in front of his feet, and he hummed. In the quiet corridor, his low-pitched voice held a cold tone, “Leave it, for right now, I have something else to do, bye.”

Qi Nian stood up in a hurry, her tongue-tied, stuttering, “Ji...Professor Ji.”

Looking at her, Ji Yanxi modestly nodded as a response. 

Qi Nian licked the corner of her lips as her eyes fell on his fingers, which were soaked by rain after closing the umbrella. With an idea in mind, she hurriedly pulled out tissues from her bag and said, “Mr. Ji, use this to wipe your hands.” 

She passed the tissue over, her expression full of sincerity. 

Ji Yanxi followed her gaze and looked at his hands, which were holding the umbrella. When he turned them over, water droplets fell in droves off his hand. 

He looked up as if he had just noticed her. He stared at her for a few seconds and replied with a voice as clear as water, “No, thank you.”

The conversation over, his long legs strode past Qi Nian in two quick steps.

“Hey…” Qi Nian turned around. 

She could only catch a brief glimpse of him under the window, his slender back-illuminated by the sun, breaking his figure into light and shadow, as he disappeared into the corner. 

She looked at the tissue in her hand and scratched her head in frustration — did he not recognize her, or was he pretending not to know?!

 

~~~

 

When Liu Xia ran down panting, Qi Nian was still staring at the tissue in her hand that wasn’t accepted while dozing off. Liu Xia slapped her shoulder from behind, bringing her back to her senses. 

“Why are you in a daze?” Liu Xia embraced her, smiling with her eyes, “Sorry, I was just recording an important set of data.”

Qi Nian shook her head and said weakly, “It’s okay…”

“I have good news for you.” Liu Xia lowered her head and spoke with a low, mysterious voice, “when I came out to greet you, I happened to see Professor Ji coming in… did you guys not meet?”

Only then did Qi Nian react, “I met him and offered him a tissue, but I was rejected.”

Qi Nian’s voice, full of grief and indignation, stunned Liu Xia, and she almost laughed. “You felt wronged because he rejected a tissue? How many girls have handed Professor Ji carefully wrapped chocolates… if you want to go back now, I’ll personally help send you back.”

Qi Nian paused, shook her head, and said firmly, “No.”

Liu Xia snorted and raised her eyebrows, “Are you hiding something from me? Didn’t you say that Professor Ji gave you his contact information in the parking lot of the terminal building? How come he doesn’t remember you at all?”  

If Liu Xia hadn’t mentioned it, Qi Nian would’ve been okay. But as soon as Liu Xia brought it up, Qi Nian wanted to hit her head against the wall.

When she was in her stupor, she remembered a detail that had been ignored by her all this time.

That day, the golden retriever would not let go of her bag. Later, after taking the dog food, Ji Yanxi apologized and offered compensation.

‘Qi Nian...what did you answer with at that time?’

Oh, I said — “I don’t want compensation, can I have your contact information? The kind I can contact directly.”

If her memory wasn’t wrong, she had heard a… mocking laugh?

So… was Ji Yanxi essentially a “prodigal son?” [t/n: the “prodigal son” is basically someone who spends money recklessly in an extravagant way.]

Liu Xia smiled the entire way home. 

Qi Nian didn’t know how the phrase “prodigal son” got Liu Xia smiling, but she clearly couldn’t suppress that grin. 

After knowing each other for so long, Liu Xia knew that Qi Nian could be unreliable in some places. Her causing misunderstandings and trouble was something that happened often.  

But in this situation, when encountering a person as rigorous and cold as Professor Ji, Liu Xia couldn’t help but laugh at Qi Nian’s scenario. After walking for a short while, she said, “A-Nian, I think you can figure out the trouble you have gotten yourself into.”  

Qi Nian has long become accustomed to his kind of ridicule, so she ignored her. 

This was the first time Qi Nian had come to the laboratory at the biomedical department. 

“This is the living area of our laboratory.” Liu Xia grasped the back of the chair and pulled it. The wheels made a rustling sound as the chair was brought in front of Qi Nian. The laboratory was full of unique features, drawing Qi Nian’s interest. 

“Wait here first. I’ll go ask Li Yue to come. Sit here, this is my table.”  

Qi Nian was pushed down onto the chair involuntarily and watched as Liu Xia grabbed the white coat and put it on. The series of movements was neat and clean, evidently well-practiced. 

Qi Nian’s eyes were immersed straight in Liu Xia, similar to their first meeting. “The first time I saw you, I thought you were a social elite.”

Liu Xia laughed out loud, “Don’t you know what kind of person I am?”

Qi Nian nodded her head, then turned her gaze to the messy desktop, “I’ve realized that you can’t determine a person’s personality based on what they look like. ”

Liu Xia, “...”

Liu Xia’s desk was even more unkempt. There were two unpacked takeout containers stacked in a corner, the computer stand was shoved into the back, and there were cups, test papers, and magazines scattered everywhere. 

Qi Nian supported her chin with her hand resting on the armrest and rolled the seat back, letting out a deep sigh. 

This was her first time at the biochemical laboratory, and her mood is very heavy. 

After Liu Xia asked Li Yue, he brought Qi Nian to the experimental area. He went on to talk about the precautions, such as “don’t touch anything without wearing gloves” and “don’t lean on the experiment table.” Listening to him, Qi Nian assured, “I will stand far, far away and be still as wood.”

As soon as she stepped foot into the experiment room, she saw Ji Yanxi instructing students on doing experiments. 

He was wearing a white lab coat, buttoned meticulously, as well as a pair of gold-rimmed glasses that rested on his nose. He put his hands on the tabletop, watching the information that was being explained on the computer intently. 

“Professor Ji.” Behind him, a lanky boy was walking towards him with a file. 

Hearing someone call him, Ji Yanxi turned his head to look, his cold gaze flicking around to identify the source of the call, and he inadvertently saw Qi Nian, who was standing not far away. 

Qi Nian’s heart suddenly missed a beat as she looked at him nervously. 

I won’t be kicked out, right?...

Ji Yanxi slowly stood up straight, his face darkening, and he asked in a subdued voice, “Whose family member are you? You can’t come in here.”

His eyes were cold and held no emotion as he continued to focus on Qi Nian. 

Qi Nian stopped and stood still, not knowing how to explain.

That she came to see him? 

Even if that was the truth, she couldn’t say it in fear of being thrown out immediately. 

She was trying to rack her brain for an excuse. However, Liu Xia raised her hand awkwardly, “Professor, I brought her.”

Ji Yanxi took a sideways glance at her, his eyes bitter. 

Liu Xia shuddered – if she dared say anymore, she felt she might as well hang her head and play dead. 

“Experiments are being done here.” Ji Yanxi put one hand on the edge of the table, leaned back, and took the file away from the boy. “If you are waiting for someone, go wait in the living area behind you. If you bring someone irrelevant to the lab again, I wouldn’t mind giving you a consequence.”

It was starkly unwelcoming, causing the entire lab to freeze instantly and become silent. 

Even at this moment, Qi Nian was still able to appreciate how good his voice sounded. 

Light and captivating.

 

The last sentence gradually ended. His biting tone made her feel like she was scratched by a cat. 

It didn’t hurt, yet a numb feeling overcame her. 

It’s over…

Qi Nian didn’t mind the eviction order he had just given her. She just wanted to stay a while longer. 

“Professor,” Li Yue explained quickly, “Classmate Qi is the one I told you about two days ago who was interested in our major…”

Ji Yanxi took his gaze away from the data and stared at Li Yue, “Huh?”

Li Yue pointed to Qi Nian, “That’s her.”

Qi Nian didn’t know if Li Yue was truly talking about her. Ji Yanxi followed Li Yue’s finger and looked at her without any emotion. “You guys go out, I’ll be right there.”

While waiting for Ji Yanxi, Li Yue simply restated why Qi Nian was here today. 

Two days ago, Qi Nian mentioned that she wanted to create a manhua series about daily life in the biochemical department. However, the laboratory was a dangerous place, and it was hard to get Ji Yanxi’s approval. 

Li Yue mentioned it to Qi Nian when everyone was setting up the venue together. 

From Li Yue’s perspective, Ji Yanxi’s reaction was quite interesting. 

When Ji Yanxi had come over, he already had his lab coat off and on his arm. 

Qi Nian didn’t know if it was because of the rain that day, but she felt a cool and refreshed feeling as if she were drenched in rainwater... 

Li Yue stood up straight, “Professor Ji.” 

“Well,” Ji Yanxi took off his glasses and looked at him, “speak.”

Li Yue blinked and said, “I have already reported the matter. It’s up to the teacher to decide what’s fit.”

Ji Yanxi folded his gold-framed glasses, traced his slender fingers over the lens, and said lightly, “Interested in the biochemical department?”

Qi Nian turned her body abruptly. Taken aback, she replied, “Very interested!”

Ji Yinxin raised his gaze, stared at her with those freezing eyes, and asked, “Then how much do you know about our department?”

His tone was mild, but the emotions in his eyes made Qi Nian feel guilty. As she answered his question, her voice got weaker, “Not much… just a little bit.”

“A little bit.” Ji Yanxi repeated with an imperceptible smile, his tone frigid and unfriendly, “How much would ‘a little bit’ be?”

Li Yue wiped the sweat off his forehead. It felt as if Qi was Nian being treated as a student that didn’t come to class and was taken aside by the teacher.   

The worst thing about this situation is that the student did not even have any major flaws. 

“In that case…” Ji Yanxi spoke slowly.  

“I’ve remembered the class schedule!” Qi Nian interrupted him. Seeing him frowning, she shrunk back a bit and said in a soft voice, “My professional classes wouldn’t interfere with the biochemical department’s schedule. I will attend the class tomorrow. Professor Ji, please give me a chance…”

“Come to class?” Ji Yanxi glanced at her, clearly not expecting her response. 

Qi Nian nodded firmly, her heart calm. 

You could go to class, but you couldn’t get the beauty in the water. [t/n: Translation: so close yet so far.]

Ji Yanxi put away his glasses and hung his white coat on the hanger. After he was done, he glimpsed Qi Nian from the corner of his eyes and thought for a moment, “I don’t seem to have a reason to refuse.” 

His class was always full, and many students who weren’t associated with biochemistry would sign up repeatedly. If she wanted to come to the class, there was indeed no reason to refuse.

Qi Nian clenched her hands behind her back, fearing she would reveal her inner ecstasy at that moment. Lowering her head, she bit her trembling lips and nodded vigorously. “Thank you, Professor Ji.”

Li Yue, who saw the small movements Qi Nian was trying to hide, could not help raising the corners of his lips. 

He could almost see the scene of flying dogs in the biochemical department in the near future. [t/n: chaos.]

“Li Yue.”

Li Yue was distracted. Hearing Ji Yanxi call his name, he froze for a second before answering, “Huh? Professor Ji.”

Ji Yanxi raised his eyebrows and said, “Tomorrow’s lecture, you and Liu Xia will need to work harder. Come here early.”

Li Yue nodded. After watching Ji Yanxi walk away, he stared at Qi Nian and said, “Did you hear? Come early tomorrow.”

Qi Nian, “...”

 

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Translator: Coral
Editor: Alam
Proofreader: Diya