Fancy Me, Professor!

Zhong Li and Shu Xian continued talking about his homework. With Shu Xian further explaining to Zhong Li what a gerund is, it made doing his homework easier.

"Gerunds are words that are formed with verbs but act as nouns. They're very easy to spot, since every gerund is a verb with –ing tacked to its tail," Shu Xian started, Zhong Li, nodding as he took note of it in his notebook.

"Also," Shu Xian spoke again, Zhong Li taking note of what she said next. "Remember, they act as modifiers or complete progressive verbs. To find gerunds in sentences, just look for a verb plus –ing that is used as a noun."

With Zhong Li taking note of this, Shu Xian patiently waited, already looking at the next part of his activity. As she turned the paper that she wrote on a while ago, she wrote infinitives and wrote sentences again that would help Zhong Li understand.

"It seems your professor made it difficult for you to understand?" she asked, Zhong Li, shaking his head to answer her.

"To be honest, I was sleeping."

Hearing this, Shu Xian couldn't help but chuckle, grinning ear to ear with what he said.

Her laughter is like music to Zhong Li's ears, slightly surprising him as he never heard something so melodious—unlike the other girls which he thinks is just a normal laugh.

"How could you be sleeping during class?" Shu Xian asked, Zhong Li, answering her honestly.

"It's my first subject in the afternoon. I get so sleepy after I eat lunch."

"Aaah… then I'd understand you," Shu Xian commented, letting out another laugh. "I'd feel the same!"

With both of them having a light conversation, Zhong Li had a small smile on his face, making Shu Xian smile back at him as she now refocused her attention on the paper that she has.

"Now, let's talk about infinitives," she started, Zhong Li, looking at her finger that is pointing on the paper. "This is actually pretty easy to determine since you're only going to see the pattern of to plus verb in the sentence."

With Shu Xian further explaining it to Zhong Li, she wrote examples and underlined the to + verb phrases found in the sentence, and spoke.

"An infinitive is a verbal consisting of the word to plus a verb in its simplest verb form and functioning as a noun, adjective, or adverb. However, the infinitive may function as a subject, direct object, subject complement, adjective, or adverb in a sentence."

As Zhong Li read the sentences provided to him by Shu Xian, he read the sentences and the function of the underlined to + verb phrases with its function written on top of it.

Without asking further questions, Shu Xian could already see that he understood what infinitives are, Zhong Li already answering the activities.

"Good! I'm checking as you go," Shu Xian commented, her eyes following the items that Zhong Li is answering. "No mistakes so far!"

Zhong Li didn't say a word. With him continuing to answer his homework, Shu Xian got her phone and looked at the video that was loading, already assured that Zhong Li won't need further assistance.

As she was watching the video on her phone, Zhong Li discreetly looked at her from the corner of his eye.

Shu Xian was smiling as she was watching the video. With her obviously enjoying what she is watching, she didn't even notice Zhong Li looking at her, making him look at her more.

Zhong Li realized that the first time that they met, their meeting was not actually cheerful because he judged her the first time he saw her.

But now that they talked even though it's about their academics, Zhong Li noticed how kind and helpful Shu Xian is, despite him saying something mean to her the first time he saw her.

Zhong Li doesn't find himself getting close to girls—except for YanYan, the one whom he's working with in the morning.

However, he could compare the two together and he could say that the comfort he has with YanYan is something that he got used to. But for Shu Xian…

Oddly enough, he found himself interested in her—making him think why he felt slightly drawn towards her compared to other girls that he is acquainted with.

'Well, maybe because we're not interacting much that's why I feel this way,' Zhong Li thought to himself, further answering the activity. 'Maybe my thoughts will change if I get to know her better if ever we get the chance.'

"Hmm… I should have bought one more baozi. I'm kind of hungry."

With Shu Xian mumbling to herself, Zhong Li actually heard her, snapping him out of his thoughts.

As he was now finished doing his homework, Zhong Li closing his textbook and notebook got Shu Xian's attention, making her turn her head to look at him.

"Oh! You're done already?"

"Yes."

"Nice! I'm glad to be of help!"

Zhong Li stood up the moment he closed the main zipper of his bag. However, he didn't know how to say thank you since he rarely talked with people so what he did was get his favorite snack from his bag's front pocket, and gave it to her.

"Huh?"

Shu Xian blinked her eyes a few times. With her seeing that Zhong Li is handing her over a see-through bag containing three dumplings, she hesitantly got it, making her look at him.

"Umm… this?"

"It's yours," Zhong Li said, scratching the back of his head. "You said one baozi is not enough, right? Take it and eat it while you're still on break."

"O-oh! You heard me, huh…"

Without replying to her, Zhong Li was already walking away from the student lounge. The moment Shu Xian stood up, she called out to him, thanking him for giving her food.

"W-wait!"

Zhong Li stopped, his hand on the door's knob, listening to what Shu Xian is saying.

"Thank you for the dumplings, Zhong Li! I appreciate it!"

Zhong Li turned his body to look at Shu Xian. With Shu Xian seeing Zhong Li smile genuinely for the first time, it surprised her, not expecting what Zhong Li would say next.

"No, thank you… for helping me with my homework. Bye."

With that, Zhong Li already left the room, leaving Shu Xian alone as she grinned ear to ear, making a comment about him.

"Well, what do you know!"

She exclaimed, looking at the dumplings that were given to her with a wide smile on her face.

"He knows how to smile and to be kind."