The school did not allow students to have messy hair. The Chinese teacher, being the duty teacher for the day, saw Wang Muman looking a bit disheveled and asked, "What's wrong?" He Lele quietly explained what had happened, and the Chinese teacher nodded, then let them return to their seats.
Wang Muman saw the homework already written on the blackboard and the practice books distributed, and her heart settled. She adjusted her breathing. Yan Cheng had never seen Wang Muman with her hair down before, and the sight left a deep impression, mainly due to her flushed face, slightly panting lips, and the way her slightly messy curly hair seemed to have nowhere to go. He found it very striking. Hearing the breathing behind her gradually quiet down, he recalled what had happened earlier when he stood behind her. Her slightly curly ponytail, when let down, was surprisingly beautiful. The hand that was writing math homework paused.
Wang Muman calmed down and opened her homework to start writing. As she looked at the person in front quietly doing their homework, his hand gripping her wrist flashed in her mind. The breathing behind her had been slightly erratic, and his whispered "Don't move!" had rendered all her senses numb. And then there was the softly asked question, which made her heart race. She couldn't focus on the problems in front of her. Fortunately, she had written some in the afternoon, so the issue wasn't too significant. Her ears felt slightly damp; her hair was a bit messy from running, but she had no time to attend to it now. Her lower abdomen felt a bit full. The water in her thermos would have to cool down. Thankfully, her menstrual cramps weren't too severe, or she might not have been able to come today.
"Manman, can you still run eight hundred meters tomorrow?" "I don't hurt. My flow will be heavier tomorrow, but it's fine." Wang Muman reassured He Lele, as she had always had good physical fitness. After the first period of evening study ended, He Lele asked Wang Muman. "I'm just afraid you won't hear the gunshot if you're zoning out," He Lele murmured, recalling Wang Muman's dazed look today. "Am I that zoned out? Today it's because..." Wang Muman started, then looked towards Yan Cheng's seat and stopped speaking. "Because of what?" He Lele asked, confused. "Because my stomach hurt, it just hurt a bit, yes." "See, it must be because your period is here, and you wouldn't believe it." He Lele gave Wang Muman some snacks from her desk drawer, worried she wouldn't be full with just one bread roll tonight. Wang Muman stopped her as she was feeding her like fattening a pig. "You don't need so much, eat it yourself."
When Yan Cheng returned after submitting his homework, he saw Wang Muman like a squirrel, her hair tucked behind her ears, her cheeks puffed out, and He Lele continuing to feed her. Wang Muman shook her head in refusal. Yan Cheng returned to his seat and said, "He Lele, you're acting like a coercive criminal." "Pah, pah, pah, this is loving concern." He Lele was about to mention the special time but felt too embarrassed to say it. "Hey, thank you for protecting our Manman today. Here's a cookie as a reward." He Lele handed an Oreo to Yan Cheng. Yan Cheng took the cookie, smiled, and shook his head, "Thank you." Wang Muman looked at Yan Cheng at this moment. Although she had already thanked him earlier, just as she was about to say it again, the bell rang.
The next period of evening study began. Wang Muman decided she should formally thank Yan Cheng. So, after collecting the homework, she told Li Wei that she had something to discuss with Yan Cheng and followed him with the homework. "Did you have any problems today?" Yan Cheng didn't notice it was Wang Muman following him. "Um, it's me." Wang Muman caught up with Yan Cheng. "Where's Li Wei?" Yan Cheng was a bit surprised and even took a step outside, creating some distance. "Oh, he wanted to go to the restroom." Wang Muman didn't mention her purpose. "Oh, I see." Yan Cheng's breathing became a little erratic, and he seemed a bit nervous.
After a period of silence, Wang Muman got to the point. "I... I still want to say thank you, Yan Cheng." The walk with the homework felt exceptionally long. Yan Cheng heard her, paused for a moment, and then said, "It's nothing, don't mind it so much. I feel a bit embarrassed too." "Thank you so much, you're really as good as my brother!" Wang Muman gave him the highest compliment, comparing him to her brother. Although he wasn't tall, his character was excellent, giving her a sense of security. Yan Cheng heard her sincere praise. Although he couldn't see her eyes clearly in the darkness, he knew she must be very earnest.