The Little Brat's Sweet And Sassy Chapter 1247 - Side Story 26: Ah Jin!

1247 Side Story 26: Ah Jin!

Sunlight streamed onto the edge of the desk, forming a vibrant glint of light. Shen Zhijin kept his gaze fixed upon that spot, terrified to shift his head even an inch toward her. He dared not offer a reply to her query.

Gu Tingyin allowed a few seconds to pass. When it became clear he had no intention of speaking, she prepared to ask once more—only to stop short, noticing that the tips of his ears had flushed a deep crimson.

!!

So… this was the answer he was giving her.

Blinking, she swallowed her remaining words. She retreated slightly, settling down obediently at his side.

Today’s weather was truly pleasant, she mused. Though, the air felt strangely sweltering for late autumn.

A moment later, she gave a slight twitch of her wrist, thinking to fan herself, only to immediately recall that he was still holding her right hand. His grip slackened instantly as if she had jolted him awake, yet the sensation of his skin remained, impossible to brush away.

Gu Tingyin didn't glance his way, though her lips curved into a subtle smirk. She reached out and took the copy of “Gravity of the Blackhole” resting before him. Shen Zhijin looked slightly dazed, and she gestured toward the book bag with her chin. “Wasn’t this what you wanted to read?”

After a slight delay, Shen Zhijin took out a book and cracked it open. Gu Tingyin’s eyes crinkled like crescent moons as she eagerly turned to her own title page.

…Time crawled forward.

Gu Tingyin sighed internally. No matter how deeply she liked him, there was simply no grasping the complexities of Physics.

She couldn't resist casting a quiet glance at him. He remained a man of rigid focus, even while perusing comics. With shoulders squared and back perfectly upright, he looked as if he had been measured by a ruler to ensure total precision. He didn't appear to be reading a flimsy comic; rather, he looked as if he were studying some profound, esoteric text. It was such a charming sight.

Once that thought crossed her mind, she found herself incapable of looking away.

Of course, Shen Zhijin sensed her small movements. Though she remained silent, her gaze felt as searing as a flame, and he couldn't ignore it even if he desired to. Finally, he turned his head, his eyes flickering over the book she held. “Do you not wish to read anymore?”

“I just don't understand it,” she confessed honestly.

Shen Zhijin had broken down the concepts for her countless times, but only bits and pieces ever truly landed. Previously, she might have felt a sting of embarrassment, but after so many failed attempts, she had accepted that she simply lacked talent in this field. She could go without sleep for twenty-four hours and still never approach his brilliance.

Furthermore… she shifted her gaze to his comic book and let out a playful smile. “I don’t look as good as you do, either,” she teased.

Shen Zhijin said nothing and returned his gaze to his book. Gu Tingyin’s eyes curled into crescents again. She had realized that Shen Zhijin had no defense against her teasing; if she pushed just a little further, he would always retreat into this bashful, quiet state. Like a slow trickle of water, he continued to make concessions for her. Each time she succeeded, her smugness grew.

She slumped over the table, inching closer until her chin rested on the back of his hand. “Shen Zhijin, is that book any good?”

As he looked down, his vision was filled by the small head occupying most of the table space before him. Her hair, long and silken, cascaded down to brush against his hand. Separated though they were by layers of fabric, he felt a strange, tingling warmth at the very spot where she touched him. He diverted his gaze back to his book, his lips pursing before he replied, “I don’t understand it.”

“Huh?”

…Gu Tingyin turned, her expression one of utter shock, as if she had stumbled upon a new continent. “There is actually something in this world that you don’t understand?”

As she turned, her body pressed even closer. Shen Zhijin reflected on her earlier words and offered a silent nod. If he didn't grasp it, he didn't grasp it—there was no shame in admission. Despite his best efforts to read, he remained baffled by why she became so radiant whenever she read these things.

For a long heartbeat, Gu Tingyin stared at him in a trance, a soft smile blooming in her eyes. “Shen Zhijin.” Her voice was a playful whisper, filled with genuine joy. “It turns out you can experience a day like this, too.”

Yes. Indeed, such a day had arrived for him as well.

…His hidden feelings were becoming impossible to mask. Gu Tingyin suddenly leaned in close. The sweet scent of her grew sharp, rattling his concentration. His eyelashes trembled, and his hand tightened around the book as his entire body stiffened. It felt as if an invisible force held him fast; once she breached his personal boundaries, he realized he was in deep trouble, yet he could neither retreat nor look away. Perhaps, in his heart, he never wanted to hide at all.

Gu Tingyin stopped a mere inch from him. Her nose twitched as she stared at the corner of his lips, whispering, “Shen Zhijin, did you have a peanut milkshake?”

the sweet, faint aroma still hung in the air, and at this range, it was intoxicating. Shen Zhijin simply gave a low “hmm.”

She pouted. She adored that scent, but since she could never quite reach it, she could only catch fleeting, delicate whiffs. She sniffed loudly, feigning annoyance. “You did that on purpose!”

Shen Zhijin’s heart drummed against his ribs, and for a fleeting second, he panicked. Yet, she soon leaned back, muttering softly, “What’s so great about being able to drink a peanut milkshake, anyway?”

She could just keep smelling it! The tension in Shen Zhijin’s frame finally evaporated. When the lingering sweetness faded, he cleared his throat. “Since you aren't reading anymore, then…”

“Who said I wasn't?” Gu Tingyin guarded her book like a prize, afraid he would snatch it away. She was committed to reading it, even if the words were nonsense to her! After all, it wasn't the book she was truly reading.

She kept the thought to herself, though it shimmered in her eyes plain as day. Shen Zhijin glanced at her but made no move to take the book away. He simply lowered his head, returning to the comic. What did it matter if he didn't understand it? She was here.

…They spent the rest of their time sitting at that small table, reading books neither could fully comprehend. Time drifted away quickly, and the sun began its steady descent. Shen Zhijin stood to return his book to its shelf. Gu Tingyin waited for a while, but when he didn't return, she went to find him.

Rounding a row of shelves, she spotted him whispering to a man in his thirties. They both turned to look at her at the sound of her approach. Gu Tingyin realized she had interrupted them. “I’m sorry, I…”

The man studied her, then looked toward Shen Zhijin, his eyebrows arching in amusement. “Ah Jin, so you’re visiting with a friend today?”

Gu Tingyin blinked in surprise. They seemed rather close. Shen Zhijin replied, “Just a coincidence.”

A coincidence? He rarely ever visited this bookstore.

The man wore a knowing smile but kept his silence. “Alright, you two should be going. Don't keep your guest waiting.”

Shen Zhijin hesitated before finally murmuring, “Goodbye, Uncle Qi.”

…As they departed the store together, Gu Tingyin finally gave in and asked, “Ah Jin, who was that?”

Shen Zhijin stopped dead in his tracks. Gu Tingyin blinked, eyes wide. “You aren't… angry, are you?”

Shen Zhijin turned, his gaze darkening as he looked at her. She sensed the sudden shift in mood and puffed out her cheeks. She had only been joking! If that man could call him by that name, why couldn't she? After a moment of contemplation, she tilted her head and tried to strike a deal in a soft voice. “Then… why don’t you call me Yin Yin? Then we’ll be even!”

She had always been a master of being shamelessly coquettish. Seeing his continued silence, she blinked again, her eyes shining. “Hmm? Ah Jin?”