The street lamp illuminates the ground, and the light is reflected dimly.
Is it really just the beginning of October? The temperature at night is really getting lower and lower...
Looking out the window, Naruse slowly exhaled, and the white mist was vaguely visible.
When he looked away, he realized that Haixing was looking at him.
"It's done."
She quickly lowered her gaze and pushed the notebook over.
Naruse took it and took a look at it, "You did it right... Well, the answer is right, but a key step was missed in the process."
"What?"
"After this step of transformation, why did we get to this step directly? What was the process in between?"
Haixing pushed up his glasses, squinted at the inverted notebook for a while, then lowered his head and searched on his scratch paper.
"I wrote it here... I omitted it and did not copy it."
Naruse returned the notebook to her.
"It cannot be omitted. For this question, this step is the key. As long as you write the formula for this step on the test paper, even if the final answer is wrong, you can still get most of the points."
Haixing said oh, took the note and read it for a while.
Naruse picked up the book and flipped through it a few times, "Let's try making another one."
She nodded.
After finding a similar topic, he spread out the book and handed it to his former stepsister sitting across the low table.
"This way."
"Hmm."
Haixing frowned and stared at the question for a while, and Naruse stared at her for the same amount of time, and looked away when she suddenly raised her eyebrows.
After the initial embarrassment and confusion was over, it seemed that the worry about making up the exam became more important. Haixing gradually calmed down and heartily accepted the fact that he was tutoring her.
The two of them, one teaching and the other learning, cooperated quite well, and because there was no gossip between them, the efficiency was quite high.
——Of course, the rapid progress has a lot to do with the low starting point of Starfish itself.
"Okay."
"Yeah. By the way. Next question."
"Hmm."
I don’t know how long it took, but footsteps were heard on the stairs, and then Seiichiro Maki appeared at the door of the room.
"You must be hungry after studying for so long. Do Harumi and Haixing want something to eat, udon?"
"Whatever." Haixing said casually, she was halfway through solving the problem.
Naruse looked at the time and realized that it was almost ten o'clock in the evening.
I actually stayed for so long...
"I don't have to." He said to Seiichiro, "It's getting late, it's almost time for me to go back."
Looking at the rising starfish, he added: "Wait until the starfish finishes this question."
Seiichiro didn't say anything. After his offer to send Naruse home was declined, he went down to cook noodles for himself and Haixing.
After a few more minutes, the starfish suddenly relaxed visibly to the naked eye.
"It's done."
"Let me see...well, no problem."
Haixing curled up the corners of his mouth, supported the low table with his arms, and stretched slightly.
Naruse stood up and said, "That's it for today, and we'll continue tomorrow."
"Well..."
Seeing her hesitant to speak, he suddenly remembered something.
"I heard that we have reconciled."
"..."
"Mr. Seiichiro said."
Haixing lowered his head, his ears turned completely red, "...that's what he thought."
"Really?"
Naruse estimated that the real situation may be that Seiichiro always urged his daughter to do something, and Haixing was annoyed by the urging, which is why he said this.
He didn't bother to figure it out.
"That's it. Let's go back."
The starfish also stood up.
After going downstairs, he went to the kitchen to say hello to Maki Seiichiro, and then looked at the starfish standing on the stairs. Naruse turned around and left the Maki Hotel.
The temperature outside is even lower and the breath becomes foggy.
The Morimi Furu Honten store has closed, there are only street lights on the street, and not a single person can be seen.
"It's so cold, so cold..."
Naruse quickened his pace and trotted home.
The lights on the first floor of Jihua's house next door are still on, and it seems that Jihua and his wife are still busy in the living room.
When Naruse returned home, as soon as he turned on the lights, Naoko's message came over.
Naoko: Is Harumi back?
Naruse: I just got home.
Naoko: Did Mr. Maki agree?
Naruse:I agreed.
Shangzi: Chunhai has been gone for a long time.
Naruse: In exchange for attending the three-way interview as Mr. Seiichiro, I am tutoring Haixing.
After a while, when Naruse took off his clothes and prepared to take a shower, Naoko's next message was sent.
Shangzi: Thank you for your hard work.
......
The next morning.
It's already dawn, but it's just gray, not bright at all.
After waking up and lying on the bed for a while, Morimi sat up and looked out the hazy window.
"Is it cloudy today?"
After putting on her glasses, she got up and went downstairs to wash up and prepare breakfast in the old wooden house where she was alone.
After breakfast and almost done cleaning up, Morimi picked up his schoolbag and went out, walking downstream along the path along the river.
Entering October, the mornings are getting colder and colder, and there is a light mist about to dissipate in the fields.
The water flow in the river is slow, and the large fields of weeds on both sides have become withered and yellow after the growing season.
It will snow in about a month, Morimi thought.
After walking for a while, she could see the Xia Qingliu Bridge over the river, and she quickened her pace a little.
Leaving the riverside path, there were already several figures waiting on the bus stop diagonally opposite.
Morimi walked over and saw the blond girl among them from a distance.
"Good morning." She greeted.
Haixing was in a languid state, squinting her eyes as if she hadn't slept well. He only noticed her when he heard the greeting.
"I...Morimi, good morning."
She pretended not to notice the change of title, nodded calmly, and looked at the dark circles under Starfish's eyes.
"Are you okay if you didn't sleep?"
"Ah, um... no, that... it's okay."
Seeing her contradictory admission and denial, Morimi already had the answer in his heart.
As for the reason for Haixing's insomnia, she could guess it with just a moment's thought - just like her, he was also worried about studying.
Although the specific content of each other's troubles is somewhat different...
Do you need to take the make-up exam again?
I don’t know how many subjects she has to make up for this time.
Thinking about himself again, Morimi still felt a little depressed.
Because of the poor result of that exam, she was too busy taking care of herself these days, so she ignored Haixing's situation.
But even so, it is relatively simple to lend a hand to Haixing and pull her out of the whirlpool of make-up exams.
After making up his mind, Morimi asked: "How is the make-up exam going?"
"..."
Haixing looked at the blond hair hanging down from his forehead.
"It's still the same."
"What subject?"
"Three subjects..." No matter how many times he mentions the subjects he failed, Haixing will still feel embarrassed.
"Mathematics, English, and biology."
Morimi said: "It's better than last time."
"Eh..."
Haixing was stunned for a moment, "Thank you."
She was not used to being praised for studying, and the most direct manifestation was that she was a little nervous.
"Actually, there hasn't been much progress... Japanese history is only a few points away from failing."
Morimi shook his head and said seriously: "If you pass, you have passed. Progress is accumulated bit by bit. And this exam is not easy. Haixing may have improved more than you thought." "Ah..."
The smile on Starfish's face grew uncontrollably, and he had to look aside to hide it.
"Well, thank you."
My mind is really simple, no different from before...
Is it because they have become unfamiliar with each other because of her shrinkage, or because she is too obsessed with becoming perfect?
Looking at Haixing's side face with a hidden smile, Morimi thought to himself.
"Do you have time after school in the afternoon?"
"Ah, yes." Haixing replied casually, and then added: "No, I have to make up the exam."
"I'm going to be on duty in the library today. After Haixing's make-up exam, come find me in the library."
"Eh?"
Morimi pushed up his glasses and said, "If you fail the make-up exam today, I will tutor you."
"Ah..."
After understanding what she meant, Haixing suddenly showed a hesitant look.
Seeing that she didn't agree immediately, Mori thought that she had other plans, so he asked her.
"No...it was that guy who said he wanted to tutor me."
"..."
That guy?
"Naruse?"
"Hmm."
Morimi looked at her for a while, "Did he propose it?"
Starfish nodded.
"He was here last night."
"..."
Has the relationship between the two of them recovered to this level?
Mori Jian was happy for Haixing, but also felt an inexplicable anger in his heart.
Why at this time...
Do you think she can no longer help Haixing?
Morimi bit his lip.
......
Arriving at the bus stop with Naoko, Naruse glanced at Haixing who was far away. Seeing that she lowered her head and pretended not to notice him, she said nothing and turned to say hello to Morimi.