Chapter 32: The Wind Rises

“I am not Little Zhi! I have a name!”
“But didn’t you just call me Taoist earlier?”
“Well, that’s because you are a Taoist.”

Watching Wen Zhixia analyze the matter so seriously, Chen Shian couldn’t help but laugh.
So it was true—there really were people who, just by appearing before you, could make everything seem radiant and dazzling.

“Why are you walking so slowly? Aren’t you hungry?” Wen Zhixia asked again. It was mealtime, and all the students on the road were hurrying along—except for him, who ambled as if taking a leisurely stroll.

“I am hungry.”

“Then why are you still walking so slowly?”

“The cafeteria won’t run away.”

“No, the cafeteria won’t run away…but you still have to queue! Come on, let’s hurry!”

With that, Wen Zhixia scurried forward on her short legs. She even thoughtfully looked back to check if Chen Shian could keep up, only to find he was already by her side.
He matched her pace, but unlike her obvious haste and anxious movements, even when walking this fast, Chen Shian still gave off the impression of strolling leisurely.

“How are you walking so fast?”
The girl was almost jogging now—the difference between running and walking was that both feet left the ground momentarily when running. Yet Chen Shian was clearly just walking. If one looked closely, there was something almost unnatural about it—his legs weren’t especially long, but each stride covered surprising ground, and his movements weren’t exaggerated at all.

Wen Zhixia was amazed, unable to fathom how he managed it. It was as if the wind itself was in his favor, not only refusing to block him, but even giving him a gentle push as he went.

In theater, there’s a classic style of ‘mime’ performance: through movement and expression, the actor convinces the audience there really is a ball or a wall in the empty air. Had Chen Shian trained in some special control of his body and demeanor? He was nearly running, yet still looked as though he were walking.

Alas, for those without cultivation, all they could see was the surface—they couldn’t glimpse the subtlety of his steps.

Chen Shian didn’t bother to explain, only smiled and said, “I’ve got long legs.”

“Hmph! So what if your legs are long? Mine aren’t short either!”

He sized her up for a moment—she wasn’t wrong. Although she wasn’t tall, her legs were in perfect proportion to her frame.

There were over four thousand students and staff at the school, and three cafeterias—two for students, one for teachers. Ordinary students’ meal cards only worked at the student cafeterias, but teachers’ cards could be used at all three.

As they neared the cafeterias, Wen Zhixia slowed down, adopting the tone of a local introducing a visitor, and began analyzing which cafeteria was better.

“The first cafeteria is good for noodles, but the regular dishes are just so-so and more expensive, though there’s a greater variety. The second one’s contractor is said to be the principal’s old friend, but it’s pretty decent—more local flavors, fewer choices, but cheaper. Do you want noodles or rice?”

They’d run into each other by chance and both came alone, so it was only natural they’d become lunch companions, at least for today.

“I’ll have rice. You?” Chen Shian replied. The second cafeteria was where he’d gotten takeout yesterday—he’d tried the food and found it decent.

“Rice for me too. But look at all these people…” Wen Zhixia eyed the lines ahead; every window had at least a dozen people waiting—a good ten-minute wait at least.

“No rush. Food tastes better when you’re hungry.”

“True!”

Chen Shian joined the line at the same window where he’d gotten food yesterday, and Wen Zhixia followed, standing just behind him.

She reached up and moved her hand horizontally from the top of her head, coming just about level with Chen Shian’s ear.

Chen Shian turned to watch her gesture and couldn’t help but say, “Are you comparing our heights? Your hand’s crooked.”

“It is not.”

“It should only come up to my chin, at most.”

“…How tall are you?”

“About one eighty. And you?”

“I… one sixty!”

Chen Shian was skeptical; by his estimate, with her shoes on, she was about that height…but—

“I mean without shoes.”

“Then—I’m still one sixty!”

“Not just one fifty-nine?”

“Of course not!”

The girl’s cheeks flushed, and she started muttering things like, “With shoes I’m one sixty-one,” “Who goes out without shoes anyway?” “What’s the point of bare height?”—all things he couldn’t quite follow.

Seeing her craning her neck from time to time to check out the front of the line, Chen Shian made room for her.

“Why don’t you stand in front of me?”

“Okay!”

Wen Zhixia didn’t stand on ceremony—since they were eating together, it didn’t matter who got their food first. The girl in front of Chen Shian was also short, so even if there were still taller people ahead, at least her view was much more comfortable now.

With her standing in front, Chen Shian now saw only her from behind.
Glancing at her profile, he noticed the graceful line of her jaw curving toward her neck. When she tilted her head up to look at the queue, the smooth arc of her neck was drawn taut.

Wen Zhixia was clearly afraid of the heat—perhaps from their brisk walk earlier, a faint sheen of sweat glimmered on her fair neck. Her shoulder-length hair brushed just above her delicate collarbones, and as she turned, the soft strands skimmed her pink ear, mingling with the dewy sweat at her nape, creating a sense of summer—damp yet clear and fresh.

Because of his cultivation, there was always a faint aura of purity around Chen Shian, but it wasn’t physical coolness.
Seeing how hot she was, he willed a gentle breeze to surround her.
The wind didn’t so much as ruffle her hair, but it brought her real relief from the heat.

It was visible: the little hand she’d been using to fan herself gradually stilled.
She paused, felt it carefully, then turned to Chen Shian with wide, delighted eyes:
“Taoist, do you feel the breeze? The spot in front of you is so much cooler than where I was just standing! Suddenly it’s not stuffy at all!”

“Oh, so you were too hot to talk. I was wondering why you’d gone all quiet.”

“It really is hot! The more I talk, the more I sweat. The school is so stingy—they know the lines are the hottest place in the cafeteria, but they won’t put up more fans…”

“Do you usually eat alone?” Chen Shian asked, curious.
He glanced around—the students mostly ate in pairs or small groups; very few were alone.

“Yeah, I always eat by myself.”

Her answer surprised him; with her personality, she ought to have plenty of friends.

“So do you not have any friends?”

“Of course I do.”

“Then why don’t you eat with them? Are you ostracizing them?”

“Not at all!”
Wen Zhixia shot him a glare. “They all live on campus. After eating, they rush back to the dorms to rest. But I eat slowly, and I’m always the last to finish. If they don’t wait for me, they feel bad; if they do, then I feel bad. It’s just awkward all around. So I’d rather eat alone—it’s better than all of us eating together, and then they leave and I’m left alone to finish slowly…”

Her thoughtful and considerate nature made Chen Shian see her in a new light—she wasn’t as carefree as she seemed on the surface.

After she finished, Wen Zhixia asked him, “What about you? Why are you eating alone?” Before he could answer, she guessed, “Oh, right…you just transferred in. It’s awkward to eat with strangers. I’d probably eat alone, too…”

“Now what am I supposed to say after that?”

“Hmph, I’m saving your breath and you’re still not happy.”

Then she mused aloud, “But it’s strange—I’m not really that outgoing, yet we’ve only known each other two days, and it already feels like we’re old friends.”

“Maybe it’s just a kind of affinity. Sometimes you meet someone and it feels like you’ve been friends for years.”

“Ah! So you feel that way about me too?”

“No, not really. I just think you’re fun.” Chen Shian answered honestly.

“Get lost! Fun is the same as interesting. That proves I’m an interesting person.”
She was good at finding the silver lining—being called interesting was high praise indeed!

Chen Shian now understood how she’d grown up so sunny and open-hearted.

“So, why don’t we eat together from now on? Like you said this morning, as lunch buddies?” Chen Shian invited.

“I eat really slowly, you know.”

“I’m not a fast eater, either.”

“Really? Aren’t boys supposed to finish eating in five minutes and leave with an empty tray?”

“See how slowly I walk.”

“That’s true!”

He’d said, “I’m not a fast eater,” rather than “I don’t mind,” or “It’s fine, I can wait for you.”
The difference mattered to Wen Zhixia. The real reason she didn’t eat with her friends wasn’t that they wouldn’t wait for her, but that she didn’t want to trouble anyone because of her slow eating.

“Hmm…”
She hesitated for a moment, then looked back at him with sparkling eyes:
“Okay! Then let’s be lunch buddies again!”

“What if I end up eating even slower than you?” Chen Shian teased.

“I’ll wait for you.”