Lemon Soda Candy - 29

Zhou Xianhong has always been a very proactive person.

On Tuesday, they decided to move and transfer schools. By Thursday, he and his family had moved to Wucheng. The house was provided by Mr. Jiang from Mingsheng.

Zhou Anran later learned that Mr. Jiang, the director of Mingsheng, had offered Zhou Xianhong choices between two homes, one near Mingsheng’s new branch in Wucheng, and the other near Wucheng No. 1 High School. Zhou Xianhong chose the latter.

They left in a hurry, Yan Xingxi helped Zhou Anran bring back the things she left at No. 2 High School.

He Jiayi was against her returning to school, and Zhou Anran herself didn't really want to go back either.

The embarrassment of that afternoon was still vivid in her memory. Yan Xingxi clarified some of the confusion when she came to deliver the things to her.

He helped write the love letter for Zong Kai. The following day, Zong Kai took the part of the letter he tore and went to explain to Director Zhao, he also asked Yan Xingxi to convey his apology.

The reason why Zong Kai stuffed the love letter into her book was because he wanted Yin Yizhen to give up on Chen Luobai as soon as possible. As for why he chose to put it in her book, Zong Kai said it was because Yin Yizhen saw Chen Luobai buying her a drink days before.

Although everything was now clear, Zhou Anran still didn't want to go back and face the prying eyes of her classmates.

Even more so, to go back and face Chen Luobai.

That day in the dean's office, she didn't know the truth and simply wanted to get him out of the situation.

After all, compared to writing a love letter to confess to a female classmate, secretly imitating a classmate's handwriting sounds like a much lesser ‘crime’. The latter would only impact her personally, and at worst, she would receive some criticism in private.

She had never done anything like that before. She didn't even know where she got the courage from at that moment. All she recalled was that her palms were sweaty and her mind was in chaos. She said everything in one go, both what she should and shouldn't have said.

It was only afterward that she realized. 

She also didn't expect to lose control of her emotions, which prompted Zhao Qiming's sudden decision to call He Jiayi.

He is so smart, her feelings must have been completely exposed to him.

She could remember clearly how many words he had said to her. He probably thought she was a pervert now.

Because the decision was made at the last minute, Zhou Xianhong and He Jiayi were unable to hand over their original work so quickly, and the next few days were very chaotic.

In contrast, Zhou Anran's transfer went smoothly.

Mr. Jiang was from Wucheng. He has been contributing resources and effort into the city's development over the years. The new library of Wucheng No. 1 High School was also built with his donation.

In addition, while Zhou Anran's grades may not be the best out there, she was still considered as one of the top ones.

On the following Monday, Zhou Anran officially joined the science experimental class at Wucheng No. 1 High School. Coincidentally, she was also placed in Class 2. 

However, this time, there was no one she knew in Class 2.

Not even him.

Zhou Xianhong was very meticulous and asked Mr. Jiang to help him talk to the principal of No. 1 High School to take care of her.

As a result, the head teacher and subject teachers in her new class were particularly attentive to her. 

The classmates were also friendly.

But Class 2 was not a divided class. Most of the students had known each other for a year, and the new students had already spent a week with them. As a new transfer student, Zhou Anran was not very outgoing and found it difficult to fit in.

There would no longer be anyone rushing down from the sixth floor to take her out during lunch and dinner. 

Sitting in the sixth seat of the second row in the classroom was a tall, unfamiliar girl, but she still couldn't change her habit of unconsciously glancing in that direction. 

After the first evening self-study session at the new school, Zhou Anran walked out of the school gate alone and saw He Jiayi already waiting at the door.

The walk home was short, He Jiayi only briefly asked her about how she was adjusting to the new school, if she was bullied in class, and before they knew it, they arrived home.

Yet, even home felt unfamiliar to her.

At home, Zhou Anran took a shower, then sat down at her unfamiliar new desk, taking out her new math book.

The curriculum here is generally similar to that of No. 2 High School, but there are still differences. Math is taught at a slightly faster pace than at No. 2 High School.

Zhou Anran planned to use the evening to catch up with the gap. 

Halfway through, He Jiayi entered the room and placed a glass of milk on her desk.

Zhou Anran looked up slightly, "Thank you, Mom."

Instead of leaving right away, He Jiayi stood next to her, gazing down at her. 

It had only been less than a week, and not sure if it was an illusion, her daughter's face appeared to have become even thinner.

"Do you want to chat with Xixi? I'll give you the phone for now."

At No. 1 High School, the rules about mobile phones are a lot stricter than in No. 2 High School, students are not allowed to bring them at all. He Jiayi seemed to be worried that if she returned the phone, Zhou Anran might try to secretly contact Chen Luobai and decided to confiscate it for the time being. Even the video of him playing basketball on her phone was deleted. She had no idea if He Jiayi had met him at the parent-teacher meeting in the first semester of her freshman year and still remembered him, or if the video had focused too much on him, and He Jiayi guessed it from that. 

Zhou Anran felt that Ms. He was thinking too much.

She didn't have Chen Luobai's contact information, there was no way she could contact him. Even if she did, she wouldn't bother him now.

Hence, she didn't object. She rarely brought her phone during her time at No. 2 High School anyway.

Hearing He Jiayi's words, Zhou Anran bit her lip and hesitated for a moment.

Her move and transfer to another school happened so suddenly that Yan Xingxi still had a hard time coming to terms with it, she would start crying every time they talked. 

When she heard her crying, she also couldn't hold back her own tears. 

"Forget it, it's getting late. Xixi is probably already asleep."

He Jiayi sighed and reached up to stroke her head, "Ranran, don't blame mom and dad. At your age, studies should be your top priority. Mom was once your age too, it's not that I don't understand, but for you right now, nothing is more important than getting into a good university.”

Zhou Anran shook her head, "I don't blame you."

He Jiayi only found out about the secret her daughter had been harboring inside a few days ago. She wanted to talk more about it, but remembering how hard she cried that day, she didn't say much in the end. It was indeed getting late, "That's good. Drink the milk and sleep early. Your health is also important. Don't stay up too late."

Zhou Anran nodded, "I'll go to sleep after I finish reading this. Mom, you should get to bed early too. You still have to rush back tomorrow morning."

He Jiayi gave her hair one last gentle stroke, before quietly slipping out of the room.

The door was closed gently.

Zhou Anran lowered her head again.

But she found it difficult to continue reading.

She didn't lie to He Jiayi, she truly never blamed them.

Mom and Dad had given up this opportunity once for her.

Zhou Anran buried her head on the desk, her nose feeling sour.

She just...

She just misses home and her friends a lot. 

She missed him.

Zhou Anran raised her head again, reached out to open the drawer, and took out the unopened can of Coke, placing it alongside the candy wrapper flower on the table. 

He Jiayi didn't know that these two things were related to him, otherwise she might not have allowed her to keep them.

These were the only two things she had that were related to him.

Zhou Anran gazed at the can of Coke for a long time until her vision began to blur. 

She never thought that she would no longer have the chance to even be his classmate.

***

The following morning, Zhou Anran woke up feeling discomfort in her eyes. 

She sat up in bed and intended to head to the bathroom. As she got out of bed, she instinctively moved to the left and almost bumped into the wall. Then she remembered that she had moved to a new house and the bathroom was now on the right side of the bed.

Zhou Anran stood there in a daze for a moment.

The new place has the same three-bedroom layout as their previous home in Nancheng. Just like before, Zhou Xianhong and He Jiayi refused to live in the master bedroom and let her have it, saying it would be more convenient when her friends come over and visit.

Zhou Anran entered the master bathroom and glanced in the mirror.

She cried for a long time last night, her eyes are slightly swollen.

Zhou Anran splashed some cold water on her face to shake off the lingering drowsiness, then stepped out of the master bathroom and opened the bedroom door.

There was no one outside and there was a note taped on the door.

Zhou Xianhong and He Jiayi had not yet completed their work handover, but they are worried about leaving her alone. For the time being, they drive back and forth between the two cities every day.

Every day, they wake up earlier and go to bed later than a high school student like her.

Zhou Anran felt distressed, but also a little relieved.

If her parents saw her eyes like this, they would feel even more guilty.

Zhou Anran reached out to peel the note.

It was written by He Jiayi.

"Mom and Dad are heading back to work. There are corn and eggs in the kitchen steamer. Remember to unplug it after you finish eating. If you don't want that, you can grab some noodles near the school.” 

After having breakfast at home, Zhou Anran originally wanted to find something to apply on her eyes, but she gave up the idea when she thought that she didn't have anyone she knew in school. 

No one should pay attention to her.

The one person she wished would notice her the most was no longer her classmate.

It only took five or six minutes to walk from home to school.

When she arrived at school, it was still early, and the sunlight had just begun to filter through. 

Zhou Anran was about to head straight to the classroom, but as she passed the bulletin board, a photo caught her eye.

She paused in her tracks.

The girl in the picture has a neat ponytail, striking eyebrows and eyes, her facial features are not the most stunning, but together they have an undeniable attraction.

As she leaned closer, Zhou Anran discovered that she was last year's top science student, named Yu Bingqin.

"Are you looking at Senior Yu? She's the goddess of many in our school, and she's definitely mine too." A female voice suddenly sounded behind her.

Zhou Anran turned to find a girl with a ponytail standing there. She had a round face and a very cute, pleasing appearance.

When their eyes met, the girl tilted her head and smiled at her, "Do you remember me? I'm also in Class 2 of Science. I saw you yesterday. Hi, new classmate! I'm Cen Yu.”

Zhou Anran was in a mess yesterday. To be honest, she hadn't paid much attention to her classmates and didn't have any impression of them. But it'd be awkward to say it out loud, she simply pursed her lips and replied somewhat awkwardly, "Hello."

Cen Yu smiled and asked again, "Are you heading to the classroom now?"

Zhou Anran nodded.

"You know, I thought you looked very pretty yesterday and secretly glanced at you a few times. I wanted to talk to you, but you were so focused in class that I was too embarrassed to disturb you." Cen Yu invited her, "I didn't expect to run into you this morning. Let's go to the classroom together?"

Zhou Anran was a slow person and wasn't sure how to respond, she just nodded.

The two walked towards the classroom together, Cen Yu enthusiastically shared some tidbits about the school and their class.

Zhou Anran learned from her that seating arrangements change every month here.

Cen Yu also mentioned that she is currently seated in the fourth row, but by October, she will move to the first row, and by then they will only be separated by a small aisle.

Later that day, during lunch and again in the afternoon, Cen Yu took the initiative to invite her to eat with her.

Against her expectation, Zhou Anran quickly made a new friend just two days after starting at the new school.

She had thought that, given her personality, it would take a very long time for her to integrate into this new class.

But thanks to Cen Yu's approach, that adjustment period was reduced to just a few days.

Cen Yu is outgoing and friendly, the type of person Zhou Anran envies the most.

With her help, Zhou Anran quickly got to know most of her classmates and became familiar with the local shops near the school. 

Cen Yu introduced some of them, and took her to eat and shop at the rest.

The month of September passed slowly as she adjusted to her new home, new school, new friends and new city.

During the National Day holiday, Cen Yu traveled out of town with her parents.

Zhou Anran didn't go anywhere.

Zhou Xianhong and He Jiayi had already completed their work in Nancheng, and since the new company in Mingsheng had just been established, they were both busy during the holidays and had no plans to return to Nancheng.

On the first day of National Day, Yan Xingxi came to Wucheng to see her, she brought her gifts from Sheng Xiaowen and Zhang Shuxian who were unable to come.

Yan Xingxi's parents also came to visit, Zhou Xianhong and He Jiayi returned early from work that afternoon to entertain the guests. 

Zhou Anran and Yan Xingxi spent the entire afternoon chatting in the room. 

When they left the room to eat in the evening, the two girls' eyes were red.

Seeing them, He Jiayi quietly sighed, starting to doubt whether they had made the right decision.

But whatever it may be, there was no turning back now.

No. 2 High School had one more day off compared to No. 1 High School this time, but Yan Xingxi couldn't stay in Wucheng for long. A relative in her family got married during the holiday, and she only stayed two days in Wucheng before her parents took her back.

Zhou Anran spent the remaining days at home doing homework.

On the first day back after the holiday, Zhou Anran arrived at school early as usual. As she entered the classroom, she found that the desk and chairs inside were all disorganized.

She paused at the doorway, then recalled that the seating arrangement would be changed once a month.

“Ranran.”

While she was lost in thought, Zhou Anran heard someone call her name.

Looking up, she saw Cen Yu waving at her from the first row and then gestured to a seat in the second row, "Come here, we've moved your seat and cleaned it for you."

Zhou Anran walked over, put down her school bag, and thanked her, "Thank you."

"What are you thanking me for?" Cen Yu waved her hand and pointed at her desk. "I brought you a gift."

She glanced at the box on the table, slightly surprised, "Why are there two?"

Cen Yu rubbed her nose, "I like to give people two gifts."

This was the first time Zhou Anran had heard of someone who liked to give two gifts.

However, from then on, be it for a holiday or her birthday, Cen Yu always gave her two gifts. 

"We also have two." The girl sitting in the front of Zhou Anran was a close friend of Cen Yu, named Chu Hui. She had become familiar with Zhou Anran through Cen Yu. "Ranran, open them and take a look."

Zhou Anran picked up the gift box and opened it.

The first box contained a small box of chocolates.

The second box contained... a rabbit doll pendant.

"Hey, why is our gift a beaded bracelet, but Ranran's got a rabbit? So cute." Chu Hui reached over to touch it, the bracelet on her hand swayed slightly.

Cen Yu scoffed, "If you don't like the bracelet, return it to me."

"Who said I don't like it?" Chu Hui retracted her hand, "I was just asking."

Cen Yu glanced at the rabbit in Zhou Anran's hand, "Don't you think this rabbit looks a lot like Ranran, it's white and soft.”

"They do look quite alike, haha." Chu Hui suddenly found it amusing, "Both are so cute, haha."

Zhou Anran: “……?”

The little rabbit doll in her hand was indeed really cute. She hung it on her school bag and thanked Cen Yu again,"Thank you, I didn't even prepare any gifts for you."

Mainly because she hadn't expected Cen Yu would bring her a present.

Cen Yu waved her hand, "I just happened to go on a trip and thought of you. You didn't go anywhere, so it's fine.”

"Yeah, we didn't bring anything either," said Chu Hui.

Zhou Anran pondered for a moment, "I'll treat you all to lunch today."

This was also her way to thank them for taking care of her during this time.

If Cen Yu hadn't reached out to befriend her that morning and included her in everything since, she couldn't imagine how difficult the past month would have been for her.

"Sure." Cen Yu agreed readily, "Let's go to ChenJi Braised Dishes for some cold noodles at noon."

Chu Hui's eyes lit up, "Is ChenJi finally open again?"

Cen Yu nodded, "Yes, I saw the owner this morning, you don't know how touched I am when I hear they’re reopening.”

Zhou Anran remembered Cen Yu mentioning this place before.

It was famous for two reasons: the food was delicious, and the owner was too laid-back. They don't open the restaurant during bad weather, they don't open the restaurant when they are in a bad mood, they also often go on trips.

This time they were closed for almost a month.

After the morning class, Zhou Anran followed Cen Yu and the others to ChenJi.

ChenJi is a bit of a distance from No. 1 High School, separated by an intersection.

At the intersection, they had to stop and wait for the red light.

Zhou Anran was walking in front, linked arm in arm with Cen Yu. She heard Chu Hui, who was walking with another girl, suddenly say, "By the way, I saw a cold joke on the Internet yesterday."

"What kind of joke?" Cen Yu turned around.

Zhou Anran also looked back.

Chu Hui: "Guess why Doraemon's world is dark?"

Zhou Anran was a little stunned. 

The last time she shared this joke was before the end of last semester. Just because he smiled at her and said ‘See you next semester’, she was so happy throughout her summer vacation. 

Although it was only a few months ago, thinking back on it now felt like a lifetime ago.

"What?" Cen Yu didn't get it. "Why would Doraemon's world be dark?"

Chu Hui: "Oh come on, it's a cold joke! Think of it as a riddle!”

Cen Yu thought for a moment and shook her head, "I can't think of anything."

"Because..." Chu Hui stretched out her hand, "Doraemon doesn't have fingers."

Cen Yu: “…”

"Wow, that's chilling." She rubbed her arms,”The weather is getting colder, we really don’t need such cold jokes, okay?”

Chu Hui pretended to be hurt, "Isn't it funny? I think it's hilarious."

Cen Yu turned to Zhou Anran, raising an eyebrow and pursing her lips, "Look, Ranran doesn’t find it funny either.”

"Okay, okay." Chu Hui said sadly, "The light is green, let's go."

Just as Zhou Anran was about to turn away, her eyes caught a glimpse of a tall figure in the crowd.

He was dressed a black T-shirt and black pants, his black baseball cap pulled low, completely hiding his face.

But his figure looked so familiar, it was the figure that had been replayed countless times in her mind and dreams. She could even recognize it among a crowd of people on the basketball court from a long distance away.

Chu Hui and another girl took a step forward at this time, blocking Zhou Anran's view.

Cen Yu, still holding her arm, paused in her steps when she noticed Zhou Anran wasn't following, "Ranran, why are you just standing there?"

Zhou Anran hurried forward.

No. 1 High School is located in the bustling area of ​​Wucheng. At noon, the intersection was crowded with people. The black figure just now had already melted into the crowd, leaving only unfamiliar faces in view.

Cen Yu saw that she looked off, "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing." Zhou Anran retracted her gaze, "I thought I saw someone I know."

Cen Yu was a little surprised, “Didn't you say you never been to Wucheng before, you know someone from here?"

Zhou Anran lowered her eyes.

That's right.

She must be going crazy from missing him.

This is Wucheng.

Why would Chen Luobai be here?

It's probably just a boy with a similar body shape to him.

"No." Zhou Anran shook her head. "I was mistaken. Let's go."

The days that followed seemed to pass quickly.

Zhou Xianhong and He Jiayi were getting busier and busier with their work. This year, their family did not return to Nancheng for the Chinese New Year.

Despite their busy schedules, Zhou Anran could clearly tell that Zhou Xianhong appeared much happier at his new job compared to when he worked with her uncle. He Jiayi was used to it in her previous job, so this was not a big deal, but she was obviously happy that she no longer had to listen to her aunt's sarcastic remarks.

This is fine too.

Anyway, there was no possibility between her and Chen Luobai.

No. 1 High School had no restrictions on students' hair length. By the end of winter, Zhou Anran's hair had grown down to her back, but as the weather warmed up, she decided to cut it short again.

When she arrived at the classroom that day, Cen Yu sat next to her and asked in surprise, "Ranran, why did you cut your hair short again? You look beautiful with long hair."

"It's easier this way." Zhou Anran replied softly.

Long hair was too much of a hassle to take care of.

Cen Yu looked regretful, "Then you should've at least gone to a decent salon for your haircut instead of some random place you find in the neighborhood."

Zhou Anran: “…”

"That's true." Chu Hui reached out and pinched her face. "With such a silly haircut, what if you run into a handsome guy?”

Zhou Anran was silent for a long time.

"No."

She would never meet anyone better than him.

There was no shortage of gossip in No. 1 High School. At the most youthful and unrestrained age, the school where students spend their days together was the best place for ambiguity to flourish.

But without that person here, Zhou Anran never again experienced the feeling of being worried and losing sleep because of a little gossip.

Perhaps because of this, her grades in No. 1 High School improved much faster than when in No. 2 High School. When she started her second year, she was still hovering around 40th or 50th in the grade, but by the second semester of her second year, she was able to remain firmly in the top ten in the grade.

Yet, there was no one she wanted to see in the first examination room.

The person who has always occupied the top spot in No. 1 High School was a petite girl with extremely stable and impressive grades.

Zhou Anran was not in the same class as her, but they became close friends after going to the same examination room several times. Unexpectedly, they would later attend the same university.

During the two days of the college entrance examination, Zhou Xianhong and He Jiayi both took leave to accompany her.

Zhou Anran was lucky. Her exam site was at No. 1 High School, she didn't have to get up early or worry about traffic jams.

On the morning of the exam, He Jiayi was very anxious and kept checking to make sure she had all the necessary documents and stationery.

Even as they were about to leave, He Jiayi was still worried and wanted to check again.

Zhou Anran didn't know whether to laugh or cry, "Mom, you've checked five times already, I promise I’ve got everything. And if I happen to forget something, our house is only a few minutes away, we can come back and get it in time."

"That's right." Zhou Xianhong also reminded her, "Don't affect the child's mood."

Only then did He Jiayi relented.

Zhou Anran herself was surprisingly calm.

The two-day exam went smoothly and she was confident about her performance. When the results came out, her scores were indeed very good.

695 points.

Higher than every exam she had taken before.

More than 100 points above the first-tier line for this year. Based on the admission scores of major universities in Nancheng in recent years, she should have no trouble applying to universities A and B.

Zhou Xianhong and He Jiayi were also at home with her that day to check the result.

Zhou Anran saw her mother’s eyes turn red, while her father wore a relieved smile.

She knew that they had actually felt somewhat guilty towards her in the past two years.

Seeing this, Zhou Anran felt relieved.

Obviously, she should be happy, but perhaps with the huge mountain called college entrance examination that has been pressing on her heart suddenly removed, she couldn't quite get used to it and always feel like there's something empty somewhere.

The next few days were hectic.

Family and friends reached out to congratulate her. Cen Yu and the others invited her out for a trip, they talked about grades, aspirations, and the upcoming separation. Finally, she returned to school to complete her application forms and attend a teacher-appreciation banquet.

Once everything was settled, Yan Xingxi came from Nancheng to visit her again, this time Zhang Shuxian and Sheng Xiaowen also came together.

Both parents had to go to work that day. Zhou Anran had been in Wucheng for two years and was already familiar with the city, she went to the nearby subway station to pick them up.

After putting their luggage away at home, Zhang Shuxian hurriedly pulled her, "I'm starving, let's go eat quickly. I've been looking forward to that restaurant you mentioned for a while now.”

"You just got here, don't you want to take a rest first?" Zhou Anran asked, "How about having a glass of water and some watermelon before we head out?”

Sheng Xiaowen waved her hand, "I didn't travel all this way for some watermelon. Do you really think we're here just to see you? We're here for a free meal."

Her tone was so familiar, as if they had never been apart.

Zhou Anran smiled, letting them take her hand, "Alright, let's go.”

They went out and took a taxi to the city center.

Zhou Anran brought them to a local cuisine restaurant that Cen Yu introduced. It started as a small restaurant, but the business became so popular that the owner eventually moved to a larger location in the city center.

They arrived just in time and managed to get the last table without waiting in line.

After placing their orders, Zhang Shuxian frowned at Zhou Anran and said, "Ranran, you're too cruel. You haven't contacted us much in the past two years."

Just then, the waiter brought their drinks.

They had ordered sour plum juice, which all four of them loved.

Zhou Anran poured a glass first and handed it to Zhang Shuxian, "We still talk on weekends."

"You only talk to us for five or six minutes at most on weekends." Sheng Xiaowen pointed out. "And why did you pour for Shuxian first instead of me?”

Zhou Anran laughed, "I'll pour yours next. My school doesn't allow phones, and my mom doesn't like me playing with them.”

"What about me? You let me be the last one?" Yan Xingxi pretended to be unhappy.

"Why are you making trouble too?" Zhou Anran glanced at her amusedly, then returned to the previous topic, "It won't happen again in the future. Now that the results are out, my mom won't mind me using my phone anymore. We can hang out together more often in the future."

Zhang Shuxian snorted, "Sure, you all can go hang out together. You guys passed the exam to go to Beicheng, I'm the only one stuck in Nancheng."

That summer, they were all lucky.

Yan Xingxi and Sheng Xiaowen were admitted to the Communication University of China and China Foreign Affairs University ​​respectively as they wished. Zhang Shuxian's also scored well, but she failed to get into the medical school at University A and ended up applying to Nancheng University.

"We'll go back to Nancheng during the winter and summer vacations." Zhou Anran comforted her.

Zhang Shuxian was delighted, "Are you moving back?"

Zhou Anran nodded, "Not this year, maybe next year. My dad is likely to be transferred back to headquarters then.”

"That's amazing." Sheng Xiaowen continued, "But looking at Xixi's calm expression, she must have known about this for a while.”

Yan Xingxi chuckled, "It can't be helped. My dad and Ranran's dad are close friends, I always find out first.”

Zhou Anran nodded in agreement.

The matter had not yet been finalized, and Zhou Xianhong was hesitant to share the news too soon, he was afraid that she would be disappointed if it didn't work out in the end. 

Zhang Shuxian casually remarked, "Our class did really well on the exams this time. Dong Chen actually got into Aviation University! Xixi, remember that bet you made with him?”

Yan Xingxi scratched her hair in annoyance, "Don't remind me. I'm still annoyed by this. The guy surnamed Dong actually passed the exam."

Zhou Anran smiled, "Who told you to agree without thinking back then.”

Yan Xingxi: “…”

"The others also did well. He Mingyu was admitted to University A." Zhang Shuxian said, munching on some free melon seeds from the restaurant as she continued discussing their class. "And Chen Luo—"

She paused abruptly.

A brief silence fell over the table.

Zhang Shuxian pulled back slightly, "I'm sorry, Ranran, I wasn't paying attention just now.”

Zhou Anran's eyelashes drooped, she shook her head, "It's fine."

She already knew.

He was the top scorer in science in their province this year with a score of 712. Even in No. 1 High School, his name was being talked about everywhere, so it was hard not to know.

However, the boy who was so wild and unrestrained back then has become surprisingly low-profile this time, he refused any interviews from the media.

Zhou Anran only knew that he chose the faculty of law of University A.

Zhang Shuxian saw her sitting quietly, tried to hold back her curiosity, but eventually asked, "Ranran, do you still like Chen Luobai? I mean, he has been focused on his studies for the past two years and hasn't been involved with any girls. At first... never mind, forget I asked.”

Zhou Anran took a sip of sour plum juice.

Somehow, just like the time she had hotpot with them two years ago, it tasted a bit astringent.

She looked at her friends' concerned faces and gently shook her head, "I don't like him anymore.”

Sheng Xiaowen secretly pinched Zhang Shuxian, "That's great if you don't like him. Our Ranran is so beautiful, she will definitely have no shortage of suitors when she goes to university. It's better for her to concentrate on her studies. Who doesn't love a smart and beautiful girl?”

Zhou Anran was amused by her and laughed.

Just then, a female voice shouted from behind her.

"AhLuo."

Zhou Anran's smile froze for a second.

Realizing the absurdity of her reaction, she found herself ridiculous.

She was in Wucheng, and almost two years had passed, yet she still seemed to have some kind of conditioned reflex whenever she heard a name that sounded even slightly similar.

Yan Xingxi and the others should have heard it as well, but they clearly didn't think much of it.

Despite knowing this, Zhou Anran still couldn't help glancing back.

All she saw were unfamiliar faces.

Yan Xingxi and the other two spent three days in Wucheng before returning.

On the day of their departure, Zhou Anran saw them off at the subway station and returned home alone. For some reason, she suddenly walked to her desk and sat down, opened the drawer, retrieved the can of Coke from the bottom and placed it on the table, her fingertips tracing the pull tab.

How could she not like him anymore?

She just didn't want Yan Xingxi and the others to worry about her.

If he had just stood by and watched while she was being accused that day, perhaps over time, she would've been able to completely let go of him.

But he didn't.

Even though he was being taken advantage of by his friends and could also be considered half-victim, just like the times he helped her before, he still reached out to her that day and pulled her out of the sticky situation.

Deep down, she knew that the love letter could never have been written by him for her.

However, when their eyes met as she looked up that afternoon. 

Zhou Anran realized in that moment that she would never forget him in this lifetime.

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