From that day onwards, Ai Tingya would return to Luo Feng's house to tutor him every Saturday.
Ai Tingya had specially created a tuition plan. Not only did they not miss the new third-year classes, they also revised the knowledge points of their first and second year. The knowledge points were divided into several modules in detail. They could memorize a few words and a few equations every week.
However, Ai Tingya's tuition plan quickly became invalid. The reason was that Luo Feng's learning ability was too good!
He remembered them even better than his home address after listening to a new class for half an hour and sleeping for 10 minutes. He could immediately recall his past knowledge and never forget it again as long as Ai Tingya gave him a hint.
This caused Ai Ting Ya to repeatedly jump around in admiration and frustration. She was happy for Luo Feng, but at the same time, she felt like she was being outdone. As a result, she became even stricter with herself. She would open her book and start studying after helping out at the orphanage everyday.
The routine lasted until the end of the semester.
The school only prepared a preliminary examination for the third-year students so that they knew how they were doing. They were afraid of increasing the psychological pressure on the students, so they did not publicize the rankings.
The winter break began with an indifferent atmosphere.
Ai Tingya sat by the bed unmoving that night and read seriously under the weak light of the night lamp. She did not relax at all even though it was the holiday.
A girl with short hair that reached her ears, who was about the same age as Ai Tingya, walked in and placed a coat on Ai Tingya's lap.
"Xiao Ya, go to the study room to read. The lights there are brighter." The girl said with concern.
Ai Tingya shook her head and said. "It's too wasteful. This place is good enough. Xiao Fei, you sleep first. I'll read two more pages."
The girl called Xiao Fei was Ai Tingya's best friend in the orphanage.
She sat beside Ai Tingya and rested her face on her hands. She felt that something was wrong with Ai Tingya recently. She would always disappear for a day on the weekends. Occasionally, she would see someone send her back on a bicycle, but it was parked a few hundred meters away, so it was difficult to see the person's face clearly.
Xiao Fei was worried that Ai Tingya would be deceived.
"Xiao Ya, you're always staying up late. You'll get pimples on your face." She said in an innocent tone.
"Really?" Ai Tingya put down her book and held her face, as if an acne would pop out in the next second.
Xiao Fei narrowed her eyes and revealed a gossipy smile. "You've never cared about these things in the past. Why are you suddenly concerned about your appearance? Tell me! Do you have someone you like?"
The orphanage only ensured the children's food and shelter. Appearance was an extravagance. Therefore, Ai Tingya had always used her hair to cover her face. This way, she could save a lot of trouble and not be distracted easily.
Xiao Fei had read romance novels for many years and understood what it meant for a woman to dress up for her lover. Moreover, Ai Tingya had indeed gained a lot of clothes and accessories recently. It was really curious.
"Don't talk nonsense. I don't have anyone I like!" Ai Tingya couldn't control her eyes darting around. Guilt was written all over her face.
"And yet your face is as red as a monkey's butt!" Xiao Fei became even more excited. "Tell me, is it the person who sends you back every week?"
"Huh? You all saw it?" Ai Tingya said shyly.
She was afraid that the children in the orphanage would see this and create a bad image of puppy love, so she only let Luo Feng send her to the corner of the street every week while she walked back.
Xiao Fei squeezed Ai Tingya affectionately and rubbed against her shoulder. "Who is it? Is it the person who gave you the sweater? When will you bring him back for us to meet?"
"Aiya, no it's not him!" Ai Tingya retorted. "I don't like him. I just… I just think about him often…"
"Xiao Ya, you've gone crazy from studying. This is love!" Xiao Fei danced with joy. "You're happy just thinking about him, right? Your heart feels warm, and you can't control it. You always want to be with him, isn't it? This is love! You've fallen in love!"
Ai Tingya listened to Xiao Fei's professional analysis and reflected on how she had been paying attention to Luo Feng recently. They were deskmates, but Luo Feng didn't want to leave his seat even 10 minutes after class ended. Luo Feng would also be sad if he was called away by other students.
"No. I'm not." Ai Tingya insisted.
She had nothing now, it was too embarrassing to admit that she liked Luo Feng.
Xiao Fei tried another method to probe, seeing that she was unwilling to admit it. "Alright then. Perhaps someone has been closer to you recently. Bring him here. I'll help you take a look at his character so that you won't be deceived by him without knowing anything about it."
"There's no need…"
"What do you mean no need! It's almost New Year's Eve. We have a gala here, so there's a reason for you to bring him here!"
Xiao Fei's words reminded Ai Tingya.
She had received too much help from Luo Feng, from her studies to her daily life. So much so that she had no way to repay him. It was indeed too much to keep rejecting him, so she decided to treat him to a meal.
"Alright then, don't spout nonsense when the time comes!" Ai Tingya warned in advance.
"Who do you think I am? Don't worry!" Xiao Fei secretly rejoiced, already looking forward to it.
On reunion days like New Year's Eve, the orphanage would hold an artistic performance to use the joyous atmosphere to dilute the misery of being homeless. There was no limit to the content of the singing and recital. Ai Tingya would go up and dance once a year as the finale.
Ai Tingya went to look for Luo Feng as usual the next morning.
Mother Luo knew that she was coming and had already prepared drinks and snacks. She seemed to have set a goal for herself to feed Ai Tingya well, so the first thing she did every time she arrived was not to study but eat something.
Ai Tingya had been here for a semester and was already used to Mother Luo's enthusiasm.
Ai Tingya was distracted while eating the snacks. Her eyes unconsciously moved towards Luo Feng's body.
"What's the matter?" Luo Feng noticed Ai Tingya's gaze and asked.
Ai Tingya braced herself, seeing that she could not avoid it, and said, "We have a party on New Year's Eve. We want to invite you… Auntie and Uncle to take a look. Do you have time?"
She asked carefully. Mother Luo smiled brightly and answered quickly. "Your uncle and I have something on. We'll let Little Feng go on our behalf!"
It was still too early for their parents to meet, so she let Xiao Feng meet them first.
Mother Luo thought about it and kept winking at Luo Feng to get him to agree.
Luo Feng speechlessly glanced at his mother. Your intentions are written all over your face. Besides, I didn't say I wouldn't go.
"Of course I have time." Luo Feng smiled.
His various indicators were changing in the best direction, including his looks after taking the pill to improve his physical fitness. It was like a spring breeze blew past when he smiled.
More importantly, Luo Feng discovered that additional tools would appear every time his relationship with Ai Tingya got closer! Of course, he had to seize every opportunity to get along with Ai Tingya!
"Okay!" Ai Tingya's uneasy heart calmed down and said gently. "It's a deal then!"