Lemon Soda Candy - 20

The backs of the boy and the girl disappeared through the back door.

Prompting whispers and conversations to fill the classroom, breaking the previous silence.

Huang Shujie, who was sitting next to Tang Jianrui, stuck his head out of the window to see the situation outside, then quickly retracted it.

"Luo ge and her seem to be going downstairs, I wonder where they're going to talk." Huang Shujie remarked, turning to Zhu Ran, "What the hell is going on here, Lao Zhu?”

Zhu Ran didn't outright deny this time, "Why are you so interested in others' business? You're so nosy. There's exams tomorrow, go read your book.”

Huang Shujie glanced at the book on the table. After a second, he looked up again, "Fuck, how do you expect me to read book in this situation? Can you give me a hint? Since Luo ge agreed to go with her, do you think he'll accept her?”

"Bullshit." Zhu Ran said, "If you're so curious, ask Chen Luobai yourself when he comes back."

Huang Shujie said, "I don't dare to ask. I still want him to continue teaching me the three-point step back."

Zhu Ran looked at him, "Didn't you say you already knew how to do it?”

“You don't understand; I call this striving for perfection.” Huang Shujie said.

The two continued to talk about basketball.

Zhang Shuxian had a disappointed look on her face, the most interesting part of the gossip was abruptly cut off. She complained in a low voice, "Why can't Huang Shujie press for more details? The gossip stopped halfway, I don't feel like studying anymore. No, I have to tell my friend in Class 3 to keep an eye on the situation. Help me watch out for the teacher.”

After saying that, she turned away and discreetly pulled out her phone to send a message. 

Zhou Anran couldn't understand any of the words in the book in front of her.

She didn't look back, but she found herself paying extra attention to the movement in the back row.

Until the bell for self-study rang, Chen Luobai still hadn't come back. Gao Guohua slowly made his way into the classroom.

Zhou Anran quickly tapped Zhang Shuxian on the shoulder with the tip of her pen.

Zhang Shuxian, who had already put away her phone, silently gave her an OK gesture.

Gao Guohua walked to the podium and immediately noticed that one student was missing.

"Where's Chen Luobai?"

Zhu Ran quickly responded from the back, "Reporting to Teacher Gao, he went to the toilet.”

Gao Guohua didn't seem to suspect anything, directly shifted his attention, "Let's use this self-study time to review the question types we previously discussed.”

It was really as he had guessed. 

Their homeroom teacher used the self-study time to give them a lecture on the questions.

Zhou Anran put away the politics textbook on her desk.

For some reason, she inexplicably felt a sense of epiphany that ‘everything is predestined’.

Even if she had taken advantage of his kindness this afternoon, he would still be outside with Yin Yizhen now, and she wouldn't have any notes to borrow in the end.

Zhou Anran was glad that Gao Guohua had taken up this self-study session.

Gao Guohua likes to point students to answer questions.

She always made sure to pay full attention in his class.

During the interval after finishing a question, a familiar voice came from behind.

"Teacher Gao."

Gao Guohua looked back and said, "Come in.”

The students in the class were probably still thinking about the big gossip from earlier. When Chen Luobai came back, many of them immediately looked in his direction.

Gao Guohua was puzzled, "Why are you all suddenly turning to look at him? You've been classmates for a year, haven't you seen him enough?”

The students quickly looked away. 

From the backseat, a familiar voice lazily remarked, "Well, Teacher Gao, have you seen me enough? I'll still be in your class next semester."

Gao Guohua had a look of ‘this brat even dares to make fun of the teacher’, he was so angry that he laughed, throwing the chalk in his hand to the back row,"If you know you'll be in my class, why can't you behave yourself!”

Many people turned their heads again to watch the fun.

Zhou Anran also gave in and quietly turned her head back as well.

The boy tilted his head to avoid the teacher's chalk, the corners of his eyes were filled with a lazy smile.

He looked happy....

Is it because he had just finished talking alone with her?

Feeling depressed, Zhou Anran turned around again.

Gao Guohua tapped the podium, "Alright, tomorrow is the final exam. You'll be entering your second year of high school next semester, let's focus on more important matters.”

Probably on consideration that they have to take the final exam tomorrow, Gao Guohua only took up the first period of self-study class this time. When the bell rang, he didn't drag the time and quickly finished his lecture. Before leaving, he told them to study diligently during the second period and stop chatting to each other. He also warned that he would come by to check on them at any time. 

As soon as Gao Guohua left, Zhang Shuxian lowered her head and quietly fumbled around in her desk for a few moments, then turned around and plopped down on Yan Xingxi's desk.

"Lao Gao finally left. It's killing me. My classmate sent me a message, she said—" Zhang Shuxian paused, glanced at Lou Yiqi, her voice dropped to that of a whisper,"Yin Yizhen didn't come back to the classroom. I'm not sure what's going on."

Yan Xingxi sighed, "Why is this gossip so confusing?”

“Hey, hey, hey—” Zhang Shuxian suddenly got excited and forgot to lower her voice, "Chen Luobai is going out, Zhu Ran is following him.”

Zhou Anran still felt a tightness in her chest. 

As if her heart was still tightly wrapped by long invisible strings, making it difficult to even breathe.

Lou Yiqi, who was sitting in front of her, got up quietly and left the classroom through the front door.

Zhang Shuxian briefly watched her leave before casually muttering, "What is she going out for?”

Zhou Anran couldn't bear the stuffy feelings anymore, "I'm going to the washroom."

Yan Xingxi inclined her head to look at her, "Let me go with you.” 

"No need." Zhou Anran shook her head, "Don't you still have to get your idol's CD back? Just continue studying, my stomach is fine now.”

Zhou Anran went out of the classroom through the front door, but she didn't go to the washroom.

She wanted to go outside to get some fresh air, she just didn't know how to explain to Yan Xingxi and the others, and used going to the toilet as a cover. 

Zhou Anran went all the way down the stairs, she hadn't gone far when she felt another dull ache in her abdomen.

Outside the teaching building, the flowers in the small flower bed were in full bloom. Zhou Anran stopped walking and simply knelt down in front of the flower bed, looking at the flowers.

However, the summer evening breeze was uncomfortably hot. After being exposed to it for a while, not only was the stifling feeling in her chest did not get better, she even ended up with a couple mosquito bites on her arms. 

Zhou Anran was contemplating whether to return to the classroom when she heard Zhu Ran's voice ringing out.

"What's going on between you and Yin Yizhen?"

Zhou Anran's position happened to be completely blocked by the bushes. Although she couldn't see the other side, she could tell who Zhu Ran was talking to without having to guess. 

She didn't know how her luck could be so bad today.

It wasn't enough for her to hear Yin Yizhen say that he liked her, now she had to hear him admit it in person? 

While she was lost in thought, the boy's familiar voice sounded, his tone somewhat casual, "I've made it clear to her."

Zhou Anran was taken aback.

If he also had feelings for Yin Yizhen, his response after talking to her should be 'we're together', 'we've started dating', or something along that line.

Not 'made it clear'. 

The word 'clear' carried the same meaning as 'straighten things out’ and 'no ambiguity'.

The footsteps are getting closer.

It was too late for Zhou Anran to go out now.

She would have to face them directly and that would be much too embarrassing.

Fortunately, the area was dimly lit, they probably wouldn't be able to see her.

Zhu Ran chuckled and remarked, "It seems the rumor from this afternoon at least served some purpose. I still can't believe someone could be so blind to mistook me for Yin Yizhen."

Chen Luobai found his comment amusing and laughed, then after a pause he added, "She actually asked me out last night."

"She asked you out last night?" Zhu Ran said in surprise.

As they walked closer to the bushes, the boy's voice became more distinct, he hummed, "She asked me to meet alone after the exam, I want to make it clear to her, so I agreed.”

Zhu Ran asked, "She asked you out alone, and you're finally going to clear things up. Why not just do it over the phone?”

"The final exam is coming up." Chen Luobai said.

"You think everyone puts study first like you? I don't think she even cares about the final exam. The three of us were getting along just well, but then her relationship with Zong Kai became complicated and you got caught up in it. I always felt that she was overly concerned about you, but I don't dare to be sure, especially considering that she and Zong Kai..."

Zhu Ran's voice gradually faded as they moved farther, until it disappeared completely.

Zhou Anran knelt by the flower bed, taking a moment to process everything.

She didn't expect the situation to be a completely different story from his perspective. 

Perhaps it was the added floral scent, there was an extra hint of sweetness in the evening hot and dry breeze.

The mosquitoes, however, were still just as vicious.

When the sixth bite appeared on her hand, Zhou Anran rubbed her numb knees, got up, and headed back to the classroom.

At the classroom, as Zhou Anran settled back into her seat, she saw Yan Xingxi turned to look at her.

"Why did you take so long to go to the washroom?" Yan Xingxi paused, sizing her up, "Ranran, did you find money on your way here?"

Zhou Anran was confused, "Huh? What do you mean?"

"If not, then why are you smiling so widely?" Yan Xingxi stared at her curiously.

Zhou Anran, unaware of her own expression, adjusted her smile and asked, "Am I?”

"See for yourself in the mirror if you don't believe me." Yan Xingxi said.

Zhou Anran: "......"

"No, it's probably because my stomach no longer hurts.”

“That's a relief. Why was the pain so intense this time?” Yan Xingxi asked, "You even cried from it. That really scared me this afternoon."

Zhou Anran was so caught up in her emotions earlier, and only now did she feel embarrassment washing over her.

How could she be so sure that he also liked Yin Yizhen just based solely on what she had heard that afternoon? 

She even cried like a fool in front of him.

So embarrassing.

How humiliating.

"I don't know either."

"Let's wait first, if it still hurts like this next month, have Auntie He take you to the hospital,” Yan Xingxi lay on the table, "Hey, Ranran, why is your face red?”

Zhou Anran felt like she was burning from her neck to her face.

She sheepishly made an excuse, "It's too hot.”

"It indeed is." Yan Xingxi didn't think much of it, "Then I'll continue reading.” 

She responded with a soft 'um'. 

Zhou Anran pressed her forehead against the desk, but the summer heat made the desk become warm, which didn't help her case.

Her face was only growing warmer. 

She wondered what he thought when he saw her crying this afternoon.

She must have cried so ugly.

Oh, right.

His notes.

She almost has a chance to borrow his notes.

Zhou Anran closed her eyes in annoyance, her hand that was on the desk fell down, brushing against the pocket of her school pants.

As if remembering something, she reached in and touched something in her pocket.

Zhou Anran sighed.

Luckily, she accepted the tissue he offered.

Luckily, she won't be in the same room as him for the final exam.

After the final exam, there will be an almost two-month summer break. When he returns to school next semester, he probably won’t remember something as insignificant as bumping into a girl crying on the rooftop. After all, to him, she was no different than a stranger.

He probably still didn't know her name.

Usually, when people run into someone they know, they would instinctively call the other person's name.

This afternoon on the rooftop, after seeing her face, all he said was ‘It's you’.

But.....

He did recognize her.

He did remember her.

Most importantly, he still didn't have a girl he liked yet.

Hopefully, when they meet again next semester, she can be a little braver than she is now.

However, Zhou Anran hadn't expected her next encounter with him to happen so soon. 

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