Lemon Soda Candy - 44

As the second morning class approached, the group gathered their things and left the library together.

Stepping out the door, He Mingyu glanced back and noticed the girl behind him—whether intentionally or not—walking side by side with Chen Luobai.

He paused. “Zhou Anran.”

Zhou Anran stopped too. “What's wrong?”

He Mingyu, clutching a few books, looked at her. “See you at the cafeteria for lunch.”

Zhou Anran: “…”

She’d nearly forgotten about that.

Feeling a gaze settle on her, the flicker of guilt that had been gnawing at her all morning surged to a peak in that moment.

Braving herself under that stare, she nodded stiffly.

Chen Luobai’s voice sounded beside her, his tone light. “You two made plans to eat together at noon?”

He Mingyu turned to him. “She helped me out a bit, so I’m treating her to lunch.”

“It was just explaining a few questions,” Zhou Anran added quietly. “It’s not really a big deal.”

Chen Luobai’s eyes shifted from the girl with her head bowed beside him to He Mingyu. A faint smile curved his lips. “Mind if I join? I’m eating alone today anyway. But since she says it’s no big deal, you don’t need to treat. I’ll cover both of you. Come to think of it, the three of us haven’t really hung out together since the semester started.”

He Mingyu met his gaze squarely. “She says it’s no big deal, so I don’t need to treat. But what’s your reason for suddenly offering?”

“We’re all classmates. Do I need a reason to treat?” Chen Luobai paused, his eyes drifting back to the girl, catching the faint flush on her pale earlobes. “Right, Zhou Anran?”

Zhou Anran: “…?”

Was it her imagination, or had he emphasized on “we’re all classmates” a little too heavily?

Was he trying to stop her from eating alone with He Mingyu by using her own words against her?

Zhou Anran couldn’t tell if she was overthinking again. She didn’t dare respond.

But either way, she really did want to eat with him.

Still, that made it awkward for He Mingyu to treat. Truthfully, she didn’t think he needed to treat her in the first place.

After a moment’s thought, Zhou Anran looked up. “How about I treat both of you?”

He Mingyu’s fingers tightened around his books.

“I said I’d treat you,” he said, then glanced at Chen Luobai. “If you’re up for it, come along.”

Chen Luobai raised an eyebrow lightly. “Sure, thanks in advance.”

He Mingyu: “…”

Yu Xinyue, standing nearby, checked her watch. “Ranran, you done? We need to get to class.”

Zhou Anran: “Almost, give me a sec.”

She turned to the tall boy beside her, her gaze sliding from his striking face down to his slender, elegant hands.

He was still holding her pen and notebook.

“You—” Zhou Anran started, then stopped.

Chen Luobai looked at her leisurely, his dark eyes glinting with amusement, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking. “Me, what?”

Zhou Anran: “…”

With He Mingyu and Yu Xinyue still there, she couldn’t bring herself to ask why he’d kept her things.

Thankfully, it was Yu Xinyue with her today. If it had been Bai Lingyun or Xie Jingyi, they’d probably tease her relentlessly.

Fine.

If he wasn’t going to say anything, she’d play dumb too.

Besides, the notebook she’d brought today was new, with no notes in it.

And… she wasn’t exactly eager to return his notebook either.

Zhou Anran averted her gaze. “Nothing. I’m heading out.”

With that, she grabbed her friend and hurried off.

He Mingyu glanced at the items in Chen Luobai’s hands, his lashes lowering. “My classroom’s that way. I’m off too.”

Chen Luobai, one arm holding books, the other checking a message on his phone, didn’t look up. He gave a casual “mm” and said, “See you at noon.”

He Mingyu: “…”

Chen Luobai lingered at the library entrance for a moment.

Yuan Song jogged out from inside.

“You actually waited for me,” Yuan Song said, giving him a once-over. “Didn’t you stay up till three last night and get up early today? How’re you looking so energetic?”

Chen Luobai slipped his phone into his pocket and started walking. “Had a coffee.”

“No wonder.” Yuan Song followed him toward the classroom, his gaze casually landing on something, his expression turning complicated. “Chen Luobai, I didn’t peg you for this aesthetic.”

Chen Luobai turned his head. “What aesthetic?”

Yuan Song pointed at the pen and notebook in his hands. “That cute, girly stuff. I thought only girls went for that.”

Chen Luobai followed his gesture, glancing at the items. A faint, familiar scent seemed to linger.

His lips curved slightly. “What if I told you these are a girl’s stuff?”

Yuan Song: “…?”

It took him a few seconds to process. “Your female classmate’s? What’s going on with you two?”

Chen Luobai gave a noncommittal hum, changing the subject. “Not eating with you guys today.”

“Didn’t you promise to treat us after finishing that group project?” Yuan Song, distracted from gossip, protested.

Chen Luobai: “Next time.”

“No way,” Yuan Song said. “I’ve been looking forward to this. Skipped most of my breakfast for it. Give me a good reason, or I’ll go chat with your female classmate about a certain someone—”

“What do you want to eat?” Chen Luobai cut him off. “I’ll order delivery.”

Yuan Song rubbed his chin. “Let me think. Without some Australian lobster or king crab, you’re not shutting me up today.”

Chen Luobai chuckled. “Even sneakers couldn’t shut you up.”

Yuan Song pretended not to hear. “Lobster it is. If I get that, I swear I’ll keep quiet about anything I shouldn’t say this semester.”

“Get lost,” Chen Luobai said with a laugh.

---

When Zhou Anran and Yu Xinyue reached the classroom, Bai Lingyun and Xie Jingyi had already saved them seats by the aisle.

Zhou Anran slid in first. As soon as she sat, Xie Jingyi leaned over, whispering, “Heard Chen Luobai went to the library with you today. What was he doing there?”

“What else do you do in a library? Study,” Zhou Anran said, her voice lacking conviction.

Aside from passing a few notes early on and keeping her notebook and pen, he spent the rest of the time reviewing Jurisprudence seriously.

So, technically, he was studying.

“Doesn’t he usually avoid the library?” Xie Jingyi asked, surprised. “I thought he had some other reason for going with you.”

Zhou Anran froze. “He doesn’t go to the library?”

Xie Jingyi: “You didn’t know?”

Zhou Anran shook her head.

She’d never run into him there before.

“I just heard recently too,” Xie Jingyi said. “Apparently, he went once at the start of the semester. Stayed less than half an hour before four girls asked for his WeChat. He hasn’t gone back since. Studies in his dorm instead.”

Zhou Anran: “He never told me.”

Come to think of it, aside from that one time she asked why he studied law, he hadn’t shared much about himself.

The uncertainty in her heart grew a little heavier.

“Forget it,” Xie Jingyi said, switching topics when she saw no gossip was forthcoming. “Where are we eating lunch?”

Yu Xinyue chimed in quietly, “She’s not eating with us. Chen Luobai and that guy from the physics department are treating her.”

Xie Jingyi and Bai Lingyun turned to look at her.

Zhou Anran nodded silently.

At that moment, Nie Ziqin, who had somehow ended up in the row in front, turned around. “Zhou Anran, didn’t you say you and Chen Luobai and that hot guy from the physics department were just regular classmates? How come you’re going to the library with them and eating with them too? If you’re really just classmates, shouldn’t you keep some distance? Otherwise, it’s hard for other girls to make a move.”

Zhou Anran froze.

The class bell rang just then.

Nie Ziqin turned back around.

Xie Jingyi leaned closer, whispering, “Ignore her. What’s it to her who you eat with?”

Zhou Anran shook her head. “It’s fine.”

Truthfully, aside from Nie Ziqin’s tone and slight exaggeration, she wasn’t entirely wrong.

She hadn’t exactly kept her distance from He Mingyu, but they rarely messaged on WeChat, and running into him at the library was pure coincidence.

As for Chen Luobai—

If he really saw her as just a regular classmate, maybe she should keep some distance.

But…

Would a regular classmate care if she brought an extra coffee for another guy? Would they hold onto her notebook and pen for no reason?

Zhou Anran’s gaze drifted to his notebook on her desk.

Plain black cover, simple and understated.

She didn’t want to return it because she liked him.

Her fingertip brushed the notebook’s cover lightly.

What about him?

What was he thinking?

---

After two classes, Zhou Anran reached the cafeteria. Chen Luobai and He Mingyu were already waiting outside, both on their phones, seemingly not talking.

As she approached, He Mingyu pocketed his phone. “Where do you want to eat? First floor or second?”

The second floor was the à la carte section, pricier than the first.

Zhou Anran didn’t want him to spend too much. “First floor okay?”

He Mingyu turned to Chen Luobai. “You?”

Chen Luobai, spinning his phone in both hands, tilted his chin toward Zhou Anran. “Her call.”

Zhou Anran: “…”

After getting food on the first floor and sitting down, Zhou Anran started to regret it.

Someone had boldly taken the seat next to her. As she ate, she could see out of the corner of her eye that his tray was barely touched, like he’d only taken a few bites.

Did he not like the food?

Senior Yu had mentioned he was picky.

Zhou Anran ate slowly. 

By the time He Mingyu finished and set down his chopsticks, her tray was still half full. The guy next to her seemed uninterested in eating, ready to put down his chopsticks any second.

 

Not wanting to keep them waiting, she unconsciously sped up.

Chen Luobai’s familiar voice suddenly sounded beside her, calm and clear. “No rush. Take your time.”

“No rush,” He Mingyu echoed. “Eat slowly.”

Zhou Anran eased her pace.

Then she heard He Mingyu ask, “Are you heading back to the dorm after this or back to the library?”

Zhou Anran looked up. “Dorm. Why?”

“I have two English questions I want to ask you,” He Mingyu said.

She nodded, about to say they could look at them after eating, when that clear voice beside her spoke again.

“Ask me.”

Zhou Anran: “…?”

Chen Luobai set down his chopsticks. “My English is only slightly worse than hers. If she knows it, I probably do too. She’s not done eating, I can help.”

He Mingyu: “…”

Zhou Anran: “??”

Since when was his English only slightly worse than hers? 

In their first year, aside from when she overheard him not knowing her name that one time she outscored him, he’d consistently ranked above her.

Chen Luobai glanced at the guy across from him. “Unless you don’t want my help?”

He Mingyu caught the unspoken implication. “No, go ahead. Thanks.”

Chen Luobai got up and moved to sit across from her.

By the time Zhou Anran finished eating, they’d just finished going over the questions.

“Done?” He Mingyu asked. “Heading back to the dorm?”

Zhou Anran nodded, then asked, “Are you guys going back to the library?”

“I’m heading to the dorm too,” He Mingyu said, pausing to look at Chen Luobai. “You?”

Chen Luobai, casually spinning his phone, leaned back lazily. He gestured his chin toward Zhou Anran again, his tone nonchalant. “I’ll walk her back.”

---

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