Chapter 369 - 223: Jiang Sifan Wins Lu Fan’s Prize Money for the First Time

Chapter 369: Chapter 223: Jiang Sifan Wins Lu Fan’s Prize Money for the First Time

December 25th, Christmas Day.

Winters in Jinling weren’t terribly cold, but the heat was still on in the classroom.

A thin layer of condensation coated the windows. The gray, hazy sky outside filtered in, making the whole classroom look as if it were under a soft filter.

The elderly Securities and Investment professor was lecturing about K-line charts from the podium, talking until his mouth was dry, while the students below were drowsy and listless.

"Class, next I’ll be discussing the differences between our domestic A-share market and the US stock market..."

On the projector screen, rows of red and green candlestick charts stood in ranks, looking like the colored lights on a Christmas tree.

Gao Lao was slumped over his desk, his phone hidden under a textbook, the screen’s light reflecting on his face.

He suddenly sat up straight and nudged Jiang Sifan, who was next to him.

"Sifan, Sifan, look at this." He passed his phone over, his voice low and excited.

Jiang Sifan took it and glanced at the screen.

It was a social media post from the Western-style restaurant near the school’s back gate.

Christmas special: 50% off for couples, and a small gift with every purchase.

"What about it?" Jiang Sifan handed the phone back, not thinking much of it.

Gao Lao chuckled, then nudged Qiu Zai. "Qiu Zai, let’s you and I go. It’s half off."

Qiu Zai had been dozing off. Jolted awake, he recoiled with a look of disgust. "Get lost. Who’d go with you? Two grown men eating a couple’s special? Even if you’re not embarrassed, I am."

Gao Lao was relentless, leaning in closer. "What’s there to be afraid of? No one knows us. It’s half off! We’d save half the money!"

"That’s not how you save money. If you want to go, go by yourself. Don’t drag me into it." Qiu Zai rolled his eyes.

"Brother Ming, you got a girlfriend?" Gao Lao turned to ask Brother Ming.

Brother Ming was taking notes and didn’t even look up. "Nope."

"Then you can go with me," Gao Lao replied with a grin.

Brother Ming finally raised his head, glanced at him, and said slowly, "Even if I don’t have a girlfriend, I’d rather not have people think I’m blind."

Gao Lao was speechless. Beside him, Qiu Zai burst out laughing.

Brother Ming put down his pen, turned his head, and his gaze landed on Jiang Sifan. He said with a smile, "Sifan, you should go with Wen Wan. It’s pretty much a done deal between you two anyway."

Jiang Sifan nearly dropped his pen, his face instantly turning red. "What are you talking about? What ’done deal’? We’re just partners."

Gao Lao’s interest was immediately piqued. He leaned in and lowered his voice. "Sifan, stop pretending. You two go to and from class together every day and work late together every night. You think we can’t see what’s going on?"

"Exactly! And that time you were late together, the whole class saw. You walked in one after the other, and Wen Wan’s face was as red as an apple," Qiu Zai added, nodding in agreement.

Brother Ming slowly added, "When you two go to the studio, you walk so close together. Who would believe nothing’s going on? By the way, be honest. When you’re in the studio every day, do you just pull the curtains and start making out?"

Jiang Sifan couldn’t fend off their teasing, his face burning. "We really haven’t... We’re just partners."

"Alright, alright, stop explaining. Everyone around us already thinks you two are a perfect match. A talented guy and a beautiful girl—you’re basically the default couple. It’d be a shame not to seize this half-off opportunity." Gao Lao patted his shoulder, speaking like a seasoned veteran.

Jiang Sifan opened his mouth, wanting to argue, but he didn’t know what to say.

Gao Lao suggested, "If you’re too embarrassed to ask her, I can do it for you?"

"No, no, no!" Jiang Sifan waved his hands frantically. "I’ll do it myself."

He froze for a moment after the words left his mouth.

Gao Lao snickered and exchanged a meaningful look with Qiu Zai.

Jiang Sifan lowered his head, pretending to read his book, his heart pounding.

The class bell rang.

Jiang Sifan packed up his books and walked toward the door.

Wen Wan was already waiting in the hallway, a canvas bag on her back and a cup of milk tea in her hand.

When she saw him come out, she naturally fell into step beside him, and the two of them started walking toward the studio.

The campus path was covered in fallen leaves that rustled under their feet.

A cold wind blew, and Wen Wan hunched her shoulders, pulling her scarf up higher.

Jiang Sifan glanced at her and hesitated for a long while before finally speaking. "Wen Wan, it’s Christmas today, you know?"

Wen Wan nodded. "I know. There are people selling apples downstairs from the dorms. They’re wrapped so beautifully."

Jiang Sifan simply hummed in agreement and fell silent again.

After they had walked a little farther, he spoke again. "Gao Lao said that Western restaurant by the back gate has a 50% discount for couples today."

"Oh?" Wen Wan’s steps faltered. Her face turned slightly red as she murmured a quiet reply.

Jiang Sifan stole a glance at her, his heart beating even faster. He finally said, blushing, "He said I should ask you to go with me."

Wen Wan’s face grew redder. She lowered her head and said nothing.

Jiang Sifan quickly added, "If you don’t want to go, that’s fine. I was just saying..."

"I didn’t say I don’t want to go," Wen Wan interrupted, her voice barely a whisper.

Jiang Sifan froze for a second, then smiled. "So... after class this afternoon... we go?"

Wen Wan nodded, burying her face in her scarf, the tips of her ears bright red.

Neither of them spoke again as they walked side-by-side toward their next class.

But something in the air seemed to have changed. It felt warm and soft.

Jiang Sifan didn’t hear a single word of his afternoon class.

He sat in the back of the classroom, staring blankly out the window, his heart all aflutter.

One moment he was wondering what they should order for dinner, the next he was worrying his clothes were too casual, and then he was anxious that Wen Wan might think he was being too forward.

When he finally made it through to the end of class, he was the first to bolt out of the classroom.

Wen Wan was already waiting at the door. She had changed into a cream-colored sweater, and her hair was down, draping over her shoulders.