Lemon Soda Candy - 19

After taking time to compose herself, Zhou Anran stopped by the washroom to wash her face. She made sure her eyes were no longer so red before heading back to the classroom.

Near the back door, she hesitated in her steps, then walked past it, choosing to enter through the front door

However, upon entering the door, Zhou Anran's gaze still instinctively drifted towards the sixth desk in the second row. 

His seat was empty. 

She wonders if he is with Yin Yizhen now.

At this thought, Zhou Anran paused for a moment, lowered her eyes and looked away.

When she reached her seat, Zhou Anran noticed that Yan Xingxi was missing.

Both Zhang Shuxian and Sheng Xiaowen had already returned.

Seeing her come in, one of them promptly turned around, while the other moved to sit in Yan Xingxi's seat.

Zhang Shuxian rested her hand on the desk and asked, "Ranran, where were you just now?”

"Why are your eyes look so red?" Sheng Xiaowen also asked in worry.

At this moment, Zhou Anran was glad that she had her period today, she could use it as a convenient excuse, "My stomach was hurting a lot, I went to the washroom.”

"Why is it so severe this time?" Zhang Shuxian frowned.

Sheng Xiaowen: "If you're really unwell, why don't you ask Lao Gao for leave and rest at home tonight?”

Zhou Anran couldn't tell them the real reason, but she also didn't want them to worry, she shook her head, "It's fine, I'm feeling much better now. Where's Xixi?”

“Since you didn't want to bother our classmates and refused our offer to bring you noodles, Xixi was worried you wouldn't have much of an appetite with just sandwiches. She saw someone bringing porridge and thought of getting it for you. She went to the canteen to buy it and should be back soon." Sheng Xiaowen pointed to the cup on her desk,”Shuxian also prepared a cup of brown sugar ginger tea for you. I opened the lid to let it cool down a bit, it should be ready to drink now.”

Zhou Anran's nose soured again.

This time it wasn't because of him.

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it. You've always helped us. The last time I argued with her-" Zhang Shuxian gestured towards Lou Yiqi's empty seat, "If it weren't for you giving me tissues and bringing me dinner, I don't know how I would have managed.”

Zhou Anran pursed her lips and smiled.

She picked up the cup and took a sip of ginger tea, feeling the sweet and spicy taste warming her heart.

Luckily, she still had so many good friends.

After Zhou Anran drank a few mouthfuls of ginger tea, Yan Xingxi came back with the packed porridge.

 

Sheng Xiaowen made way for her.

There was an exam tomorrow, Zhou Anran didn't want to waste their time on her. As she took the porridge from Yan Xingxi's hand, she said, "I really am fine. You guys should study first."

Only then did Zhang Shuxian turn around, and Sheng Xiaowen also went back to her seat.

Yan Xingxi, on the other hand, perhaps frightened by Zhou Anran's red eyes, wouldn't even let her throw the trash out after she finished the porridge.

Ten minutes before the evening self-study started, Zhang Shuxian suddenly turned around again.

She plopped down on Yan Xingxi's desk, speaking in an extremely low voice, as if she was about to reveal some big secret, "I just heard a super huge gossip.”

Zhou Anran, who was trying to focus on studying for the history exam, was lying on the table and really didn’t have the mood or strength, she just glanced up briefly.

Yan Xingxi has always been interested in this kind of thing, instantly putting her pen down, "What huge gossip?”

Zhang Shuxian leaned in closer, resting on Yan Xingxi's desk, "I heard that someone saw Chen Luobai and Yin Yizhen at the arcade last Friday, just the two of them, without Zhu Ran and Zong Kai.”

Zhou Anran immediately raised her head.

"See, I wasn't exaggerating when I say it's super huge gossip. Look at how surprised Ranran is,” As she spoke, Zhang Shuxian's eyes suddenly shifted behind them, "Oh, speaking of the devil, he's here.”

Before coming down from the rooftop, she had made a silent promise to herself that she would refrain from looking at him secretly again.

But Zhang Shuxian's words just now were too much of a surprise to her, she completely forgot about the promise and subconsciously turned her head.

The boy standing by the back door was dressed in a school uniform, his slightly damp black hair falling over his forehead. He held a basketball under his left arm and a can of coke in his right hand, tilting his head and taking a sip while smiling nonchalantly as he listened to the people behind him.

It was still the same look that could make her heart race at first sight.

But he was about to become someone else's boyfriend now.

Zhou Anran felt a twinge of bitterness and quickly averted her gaze.

However, amidst the quiet classroom, their voices were not deliberately suppressed, and easily reached her ears.

"This brother will be the one doing the step back three-pointer from now on." It was Huang Shujie who spoke.

Zhu Ran scoffed in response, "You couldn't even make a single shot, let alone a three-pointer. They all hit the backboard. You have the audacity to call that a step back three-pointer.”

Huang Shujie defended, "Executing a step back three-pointer requires core strength. Not anyone can be like our Luo ge, the fact that I was able to imitate his moves is already an achievement, isn't that right, Luo ge?"

The boy had a distinct smile in his voice, "Well, it's not bad.”

He paused, his smile became more pronounced, "But don't tell anyone that I taught you. I can't afford to lose face.”

"Luo ge!" Huang Shujie protested. 

The boy seemed to be suppressing his laughter, "Alright, let's not disturb everyone's study.”

The classroom was quiet again.

Zhang Shuxian was still lying on Yan Xingxi's table, continue gossiping in a low voice, "If the gossip is true, then our school grass Chen sure is doing a great job at hiding it.”

Zhou Anran's heart was in turmoil, yet sensed that something was not right.

Based on the conversation she overheard earlier, it seemed clear that it was Yin Yizhen's first time asking him out alone. So, how could someone have spotted them together at the arcade last Friday?

Zhou Anran couldn't help but ask quietly, "Where did you hear about this?"

"One of my middle school classmates in class 10 told me." Zhang Shuxian answered.

Zhou Anran: "Did she see it herself?"

"No." Zhang Shuxian shook her head, "She should have heard it from someone else. You know how quickly news about Chen Luobai spreads in our school.”

Zhou Anran still had a nagging feeling that something was off.

Could it be that Zong Kai and Zhu Ran were also there at that time, but just not seen?

Just then, Lou Yiqi rushed in from outside, pulling out her chair with force, the sound of the chair legs scraping the floor interrupted her thoughts.

Zhang Shuxian ignored Lou Yiqi, her last quarrel with Lou Yiqi about Yin Yizhen still probably fresh on her mind. She stopped gossiping, turned around and sat straight.

Zhou Anran lowered her head again to continue studying, but the words on the textbook started to blur before her eyes.

She forced herself to calm down.

Whether he went out alone with Yin Yizhen last Friday or after the exam, it wouldn't make any difference to her. 

Stop thinking about him. 

Stop thinking about him.

Zhou Anran tried to adjust her emotions, and after a while, she was finally able to immerse herself in reviewing.

But before she could review more pages, Zhu Ran's voice suddenly sounded from behind.

"Damn, why are there rumors that someone saw Ahluo and Yin Yizhen going to the arcade together last Friday?”

It seems that what Zhang Shuxian said was indeed accurate. News about Chen Luobai always spread quickly in the school, especially one as sensational as this. Within minutes, the news had already reached Zhu Ran.

Zhou Anran resisted the urge to look back.

She couldn't tell if everyone was immersed in their study or waiting to hear the gossip. The self-study class hadn’t even started, yet the classroom was unusually quiet. 

The conversation behind her could be heard clearly.

"Zhu Ran, you're being so loud. Aren't you afraid the teacher will call Luo ge over?” It seemed to be Tang Jianrui's voice.

Zhu Ran was exasperated, "I'm afraid of nothing. I was the one who went to the arcade with Chen Luobai last Friday. Who the hell is so blind that they saw me as Yin Yizhen?”

"Holy shit, hahahahaha…” Tang Jianrui burst out laughing and slapped the table, "Come on, let me see which part of you resembles a girl. Hm, your butt does seem quite perky."

Zhu Ran: "Get lost."

"My friend also messaged me on WeChat about this,” This time it was Huang Shujie's voice, he seemed to also hold back a laugh, "So, it's not true? Our Luo ge doesn't have feelings for Yin Yizhen?”

Zhu Ran still sounded annoyed, "What feelings? Your Luo ge is only interested in studying."

Zhang Shuxian also heard the conversation, and couldn't help but turn around to discuss with them in a low voice, "Hey, so what's going on now? I'm feeling so confused.”

Yan Xingxi: "I'm confused too.”

Zhou Anran, who knew a little more about the inside story than them, was even more confused than they were at the moment.

The joy in Yin Yizhen's voice this afternoon didn't seem to be fake, so it must be true that he had agreed to her invitation.

Prior to Yin Yizhen, he never had any ambiguous interactions with any girl alone, not even once.

Let alone agreeing to go out with one.

That's why when she heard their conversation this afternoon, she came to the same conclusion as Yin Yizhen.

But what does Zhu Ran mean?

Could it be that he hadn't told Zhu Ran about his feelings for Yin Yizhen?

But he didn't refute it either just now…

Zhou Anran didn't dare to think too much about it. 

The feeling of having her hopes completely shattered was something she did not want to go through a second time.

Zhang Shuxian suddenly nudged her elbow at this time.

"Hey, look, Yin Yizhen is here." Zhang Shuxian withdrew her hand, glanced at Lou Yiqi, and added in a hushed tone, "Did someone tell the news to her?”

Not sure if it was because the parties involved in the scandal had gathered here, the classroom was suddenly quieter than it was just a few moments ago.

Thus, Yin Yizhen's voice, though not very loud, echoed clearly to the front of the room.

"Chen Luobai, I want to talk to you.”

Zhou Anran saw several people in front of her turn their heads.

She finally gave in and followed suit, turning her head to look at the back row.

Yin Yizhen was standing right at the back door, the sky had darkened early, and the light outside the door was somewhat dim, blurring the expression on her face.

Chen Luobai's expression was not quite as expected by Zhou Anran.

To be precise, he didn't have much expression on his face at the moment; he usually always smiled, when he didn't, he always looked somewhat aloof.

The boy glanced towards the back door, said calmly, "We can talk after the exam."

Yin Yizhen's face was still hidden in the shadows, "I want to talk now."

The expression on Chen Luobai's face did not change, twirling the pen in his hand without saying a word.

Zhou Anran clutched the edge of the page.

It felt as if time had suddenly been stretched into a thin thread, wrapped around her heart, and her heart had become the pen in his hand, controlled entirely by that slender hand.

The next moment, Chen Luobai tossed the pen onto the table and stood up, "Let's go then." 

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