Incurable Pain

Incurable Pain | Chapter 9

“Classmate, teach me.”

These two words were enough to stir up her emotions.

Bai Xunyin’s eyes drooped slightly. After a moment of silence, she picked up a pen and wrote on the paper.

[Aren’t you a good student? Your grades are great, aren’t they?]

Why does he want her to teach him?

However, these casually spoken words made Yu Luoyin find it interesting. He looked at her with his dark eyes which held a hint of amusement, “How do you know I’m a good student?”

…

“Well,” he noticed Bai Xunyin’s fingers freezing, and he asked again, “Have you been paying attention?”

He was intentionally being mischievous to the point of wickedness.

Afraid of being misunderstood, Bai Xunyin hurriedly bit her lip and wrote with force.

[I heard it from a classmate.]

“Oh,” Yu Luoyin asked casually, “Which classmate?”

Annoying.

Bai Xunyin couldn’t come up with an answer. She simply didn’t reply and changed the topic by writing.

[Which part of this question don’t you understand?]

Wasn’t he just asking her to teach him a question? It wasn’t a big deal.

Yu Luoyin looked at the girl’s fair side profile sculpted with delicate lines, and the slightly stubborn curl of her lips.

He lazily said, “I don’t understand any part of it.”

…

Sighing with a bit of helplessness, Bai Xunyin didn’t continue to ask. She used the end of the pen to prop up her chin and seriously looked over the question Yu Luoyin had marked.

By the time she finished reading, her delicate eyebrows slightly furrowed.

She was always good at mathematics and physics, often ranking first in the class. Most of the time, she could pick up the pen and solve high school questions on the first try.

However, there would usually be some concepts or ideas behind them that she knew.

But the question Yu Luoyin had brought… was actually quite challenging.

Her interest was piqued. She instinctively glanced at the cover of the practice book Yu Luoyin had brought, only to find it blank.

Why didn’t this practice book have a title?

Bai Xunyin was puzzled. She turned her head and looked at Yu Luoyin. He seemed to understand the unspoken question without needing it to be written down.

“This practice book isn’t sold on the market; it’s a set of exercise problems my mom made for me.”

Yu Luoyin paused for a moment and continued, “She’s a university professor, teaching chemistry.”

…

Bai Xunyin felt a bit speechless and embarrassed. After all, Yu Luoyin’s mother was so accomplished.

Why did he need her to teach him questions?

However, having such a set of exercise problems was really enviable. Bai Xunyin wondered if there were other “interesting” questions in the book. She subconsciously glanced through the practice book.

How can someone who teaches chemistry teach physics well?

Yu Luoyin casually found an excuse and teasingly looked at her. “So, can you solve this question?”

Bai Xunyin remained silent for a moment and honestly wrote.

[I can’t solve this question quickly. I’m sorry.]

“It’s okay. You can take it home and work on it slowly. Teach me when you’re done.”

Yu Luoyin’s voice was low and carried a hint of almost gentle amusement. “Teach me after you’ve finished solving it.”

As expected, Bai Xunyin’s usually calm eyes brightened at his words.

She had a great interest in learning. Her eyes were clear and bright, with soft lines. When the corners of her eyes lifted, it felt like the world lit up.

Even though she rarely smiled, appearing reserved and cold, now that she had brightened up even a little, it was as if peach blossoms were blooming.

This was the kind of joy that belonged to a ‘study genius’—the exercise book was more valuable than money.

Bai Xunyin hesitated for a moment and couldn’t help but ask.

[Can I really take it home?]

[Yes.]

Yu Luoyin also wrote back to her, communicating in writing as if it was some kind of intrigue.

[Come over at the same time tomorrow to solve the problems.]

Bai Xunyin was stunned for a moment, then slowly nodded.

Like a drug addict who couldn’t resist drugs, she couldn’t resist unsolved questions.

Seeing Bai Xunyin holding the exercise book, flipping through it carefully, Yu Luoyin couldn’t help but find it somewhat amusing.

He was crying helplessly inside—apparently, even he wasn’t as prominent as the practice book in her eyes?

That guy Lu Ye, who usually lacked intelligence and spirit, had said something that was actually true for once.

This girl was not easy to approach.

However, Yu Luoyin wasn’t willing to be a mere “supporting character.”

He lightly tapped the table with his slender fingers and asked Bai Xunyin, “Is it good-looking?”

Bai Xunyin obediently nodded.

So, Yu Luoyin raised an eyebrow. “I’m sitting right in front of you, but you ignore me, Bai Xunyin. Do you dislike me?”

Bai Xunyin was unfairly accused.

She hesitated for a while then vigorously shook her head, immediately writing on the paper.

[No!]

To emphasize that she really didn’t, Bai Xunyin used an exclamation mark in her writing for the first time.

“Alright, I won’t tease you anymore.”

Yu Luoyin’s shoulders shook with laughter, and his tall figure stood up gracefully. “See you tomorrow.”

He left as efficiently and crisply as a gust of wind, taking his backpack with him.

Bai Xunyin stared at Yu Luoyin’s slender back, as graceful as a pine tree. If it weren’t for the exercise book in her hands and the lingering scent of sandalwood—his unique scent that filled the air, she might have thought this encounter was a dream.

In the library, she was left alone basking in the serene atmosphere, accompanied only by the sunlight.

During that summer vacation, Bai Xunyin truly felt like she was living in a dream.

Since the inexplicable “repayment through teaching” at the library, almost every week Yu Luoyin would invite her to meet two or three times, and the location was always at the library.

He would pester Bai Xunyin to explain problems to him, one after another.

And Bai Xunyin was always conscious of the fact that she hadn’t finished reviewing all the problems in the exercise book. Thus, she never refused Yu Luoyin’s requests. Instead, she followed along, day after day.

—Teaching Yu Luoyin wasn’t that difficult; at most, she just had to write a few more words.

However, every time they had their “class” session in the library, Yu Luoyin would listen attentively to Bai Xunyin’s explanations.

It’s just that…

He would prop his head up with one hand, smile while looking at her, and sometimes lean in slightly… all of which would leave Bai Xunyin with a feeling of emotional turmoil.

It wasn’t that she disliked it; it was simply that she felt uneasy.

Back in middle school, before she lost her voice and after she came to Sanzhong High School, she used to be able to speak normally and wasn’t averse to guys being close to her.

However, since she lost her voice and experienced some things, Bai Xunyin had become more sensitive to the presence of boys, especially someone like Yu Luoyin.

Bai Xunyin couldn’t help but feel increasingly uncomfortable.

“Miss Bai.”

Yu Luoyin always addressed her so formally, his voice always carrying a hint of teasing, “Are you a little scared of me?”

Otherwise, why would Bai Xunyin’s back always be so stiff when she sat next to him?

Bai Xunyin was taken aback for a moment, her lips pursed as she wrote on the paper.

[No.]

“No?”

He chuckled softly, “Then why do you always avoid looking at me? Is my face frightening?”

… Why should I look at you?

The young girl tightly gripped the pen, silently muttering to herself in her heart, but she couldn’t resist this provocation.

Steeling herself, she turned her head to face Yu Luoyin’s obsidian-like eyes, pretending to be calm.

Seeing Bai Xunyin’s awkward expression, Yu Luoyin couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

It had been several days, yet she still acted guarded around him?

It seemed that just “tutoring” wouldn’t suffice.

“Being in class every day is getting boring,” Yu Luoyin’s rebellious spirit and competitive nature arose.

He stood up straightforwardly and tilted his chin toward Bai Xunyin. “Let’s go.”

Bai Xunyin was startled and quickly typed to ask.

[Where are we going?]

Yu Luoyin’s narrow phoenix-like eyes squinted slightly, and he smiled with an air of mystery. “I’ll take you to a fun place.”

A fun… place?

Bai Xunyin had always been cautious about unfamiliar places. She hesitated and remained seated, not moving.

“Come on.”

Yu Luoyin urged again, his voice carrying a hint of a boyish cajoling tone, “You’ve been tutoring me for so many days. Consider it my way of repaying you, as a good teacher. Hmm?”

The rising intonation of “hmm” lightly enticed her, effortlessly stirring her heart.

For some reason, Bai Xunyin wanted to go.

She wanted to know what this “fun place” was, but deep down, she understood clearly that if it were anyone else, she wouldn’t even consider such a proposal.

But it was Yu Luoyin.

With his suggestion, she couldn’t resist following along.