Lemon Soda Candy - 25

Class 3 also has a physical education class today.

During the break, Yin Yizhen wanted to have some ice cream and asked Zong Kai to go with her to the mini-mart. Upon approaching the door, she immediately saw the scene inside from a distance.

Yin Yizhen's complexion paled in an instant.

She recognized the girl standing in front of Chen Luobai.

She saw her last Friday giving a Band-Aid for Chen Luobai's wound. Yin Yizhen didn't have a strong impression of her. She only knew her as the student seated behind Lou Yiqi, named Zhou Anran, who had good grades, was quite reserved and not very talkative, she seldom interacted with the boys in the class, and had never conversed with Chen Luobai.

When Yin Yizhen accidentally caught her giving Chen Luobai medicine last friday, she thought she was just another girl who had a crush on Chen Luobai and didn't take it too seriously.

But at this moment, looking at the scene happening in the mini-mart, anyone with eyes can see who is the one taking more initiative.

Yin Yizhen's fingers tightened at her side, she felt that the scene inside was too dazzling. She glanced away and turned to Zong Kai, "Does Chen Luobai like her?”

Zong Kai averted his gaze, seeing her pale complexion, he swallowed back the words that were on the tip of his tongue, "AhLuo just gave her a bottle of drink."

"When has Chen Luobai ever offered a drink to a girl? We used to have meals together last semester. Have you ever seen him take the initiative to offer me anything?” Yin Yizhen's eyes reddened as she spoke,"Please ask him for me."

Zong Kai's hand clenched, wanting to comfort her and wipe away her tears like he did when they were young, yet in the end he remained still. He looked down and asked, "Yizhen, what do you think of me?"

Yin Yizhen pursed her lips, not looking at him, "I see you as a brother. You were the one who promised you'd take care of me like a brother for the rest of your life.”

Zong Kai shut his eyes, "AhLuo doesn't have feelings for you, what's the use of me asking?"

"I'm not ready to give up just yet." Yin Yizhen said, lowering her head. Thoughts of Chen Luobai's smile as he spoke to the girl filled her mind, "If he still has no one he likes, I want to continue pursuing him."

"What if he really likes that girl over there?" Zong Kai asked her.

“I don't have the hobby of humiliating myself." Yin Yizhen looked up at him, "Just help me this one time."

***

Zhang Shuxian waited for a long time before Zhou Anran came back.

The girl sat down next to her and handed her a bottle of orange soda.

Without a word, Zhang Shuxian opened the bottle, tilted her head back and took a big sip. As the cold, fizzy drink danced down her throat, she finally felt alive again.

Closing the bottle, she turned her head and was about to comment about the soda to Zhou Anran, but she noticed that her face was still flushed, "Ranran, why are you still blushing? You can't be shy for that long, can you?”

Zhou Anran: “…”

"No."

She raised her hand to cover her cheek. Her palm, still damp from the water droplets on the Coke can, felt cold against her cheek. However, the thought that this same can had been held by the boy's slender hand brought warmth back to her face.

The coldness of her palm no longer has any use.

Zhou Anran put her hand down, "It's just too hot."

September in Nancheng felt like midsummer.

The heat was unbearable.

Zhang Shuxian didn't think much about it, "I'll give you the money for the soda once we get back to the classroom."

Zhou Anran shook her head, "No need."

"Sure then." Zhang Shuxian was straightforward, "It's my treat next time."

"You really don't have to. I didn't pay for it." Zhou Anran replied slowly, feeling the heat on her face rising a little more.

Her mind was in chaos earlier, she couldn't even remember what she responded to him.

Did she say ‘Don't worry’ or ‘I won't’?

All she could recall was that after hearing her answer, Chen Luobai finally let go of his hand, and the entire weight of the Coke can fell on her hand.

The boy still had a smile on his face, but his voice was no longer lowered.

"Alright, it's a deal," he said.

Zhou Anran didn't know how to react.

He didn't say anything more, he turned around and walked back to the refrigerator.

As the distance between them widened, Zhou Anran came back to her senses and her heartbeat slowed down slightly. Only then did she remember that she came to the mini-mart to buy soda for Zhang Shuxian.

But he was still standing next to the refrigerator.

With the group of boys still picking stuff, he probably wouldn't leave anytime soon.

Zhou Anran had no choice but to muster up the courage to walk to the refrigerator.

Walking to his side.

As if noticing her coming, the boy turned around and looked at her, "Do you want to drink something else?"

Zhou Anran's heartbeat began to get out of control again. She shook her head slightly and answered softly, "I need to get soda for my friend."

Chen Luobai grabbed another can of Coke and made space for her in front of the refrigerator. 

He casually leaned against the refrigerator, opened the can with one hand, tilted his head and took a sip, his Adam's apple bobbed a few times. Then with a grin, he turned his head and informed the cashier by the door, "Uncle Zhang, I'm drinking the Coke first, I'll settle everything after this."

It looked like he was quite familiar with the boss.

The boss acknowledged him. 

Zhou Anran quickly took out a bottle of soda and closed the refrigerator door.

He gestured at her with his free hand, his gaze seemingly fell on her face yet also not quite. Zhou Anran didn't dare to meet his gaze, she only heard his voice, still laced with a smile, "I'll also pay for the two bottles in her hand."

"You didn't pay? Then who did?" Zhang Shuxian's voice rang out.

Zhou Anran snapped back to reality, after a brief hesitation, she didn't hide anything from her and whispered the name she had kept in her heart, "Chen Luobai."

Hiding it might have been useless anyway.

Because as soon as he said that, Tang Jianrui and others erupted into a commotion at the mini-mart.

"Wait, what did I just hear?”

"What's going on, Luo ge?"

The boy, still holding the same can of Coke as her, turned towards them and scolded, "What's all the fuss about? Just grab your stuff. If you keep dragging your feet, you can pay for it yourself."

He then turned back to her, smiled, "Do you need anything else?"

Zhou Anran quickly shook her head, not daring to stay any longer, let alone took another look at him, and swiftly made her exit from the mini-mart.

Now that she thought about it...

it seemed that she forgot to thank him again.

 

Zhang Shuxian was just about to take another sip of soda, and was in the middle of opening the bottle when she gasped at her answer. She paused for a few seconds before asking in surprise, "Who? Chen——"

Her voice suddenly rose in excitement, Zhou Anran hurriedly interrupted her, "Keep your voice down.”

Though still visibly surprised, Zhang Shuxian complied, lowering her voice, "Who did you say, Chen Luobai? Am I hearing this right?”

Zhou Anran confirmed with a nod.

Zhang Shuxian asked, "What's going on? Why did Chen Luobai suddenly help you pay?”

Zhou Anran opened her mouth, she didn't know how to explain it to her.

Truthfully, she was just as puzzled herself. 

Whenever she recalled the time he caught her crying secretly on the rooftop last semester, she felt so embarrassed and didn't want to tell anyone about it.

"Just..." Zhou Anran skipped the ‘bribe’ part and simply said, "When I went to buy soda, he was there treating a bunch of boys from our class to a meal and helped me settle the bill together.”

Zhang Shuxian was still reeling from her shock, "That's it?"

"What else could it be?" Zhou Anran replied softly, not sure whether she was asking herself or her friend.

Zhang Shuxian thought for a moment, “Oh right, I've heard from those boys that he likes treating people and often treats a large group of people. Even Dong Chen and his friends, who aren't exactly close to him, have been treated by him. Besides, you haven't really talked with him, have you?”

Zhou Anran's eyes drooped.

That's right.

They had barely exchanged words.

He smiled the same way to the mini-mart owner.

He looked more familiar with the mini-mart owner than with her.

There shouldn't be any other meaning to it.

***

After coming out of the mini-mart, the snacks and drinks were already in their hands. The ‘pay for it yourself’ warning was no longer effective. Tang Jianrui and the group of boys once again surrounded Chen Luobai.

"Luo ge, what's going on? Why did you suddenly buy that girl a drink just now?" Tang Jianrui draped his arm over Chen Luobai's shoulder and spoke in a gossipy tone.

The others also followed up.

"Did you see who it was? Gangluo was blocking my view, I didn't get to see her face."

"Zhou Anran, a girl from our class, quite pretty."

"Is she pretty? I have no impression of her."

"She usually always keeps to herself. I remember that her grades were pretty good."

"No, can't you guys use your brains? Why are you discussing whether the person Luo ge likes is pretty or not right in front of him. She might become our future sister-in-law."

Chen Luobai knew this group of people would react like this. He pushed away Tang Jianrui's hand and laughed, "What nonsense are you spouting? How did she suddenly become the person I like?"

"If you don't like her, then why are you buying her a drink?" Tang Jianrui winked at him.

"That's..." Chen Luobai paused.

That day, she secretly ran to the rooftop to cry alone and probably didn't want others to know. It was purely by chance that he stumbled upon her. He was careless last semester and told Zhu Ran about it. Bringing it up in front of such a large group of people now would be inappropriate.

 

"A bribe."

Tang Jianrui was confused, "What bribe?"

"She happened to overhear me saying I want to skip school." Chen Luobai made up an excuse, "So when I saw her today, I helped her pay and asked her not to tell Lao Gao."

Tang Jianrui appeared disappointed, "Is that all?"

Chen Luobai glanced at him, raising an eyebrow with a hint of amusement in her eyes, "What else could it be?”

Tang Jianrui pondered for a moment, "Indeed. I've never seen you talk to her before.”

It seemed that the rest of the group also shared the same thoughts. 

The crowd around him dispersed and started talking about other topics like basketball and games.

Perhaps because he had just heard such a soft and pleasant voice, Chen Luobai suddenly found this group of people to be really noisy.

He deliberately slowed his pace, allowing the crowd to move ahead of him. 

Zhu Ran also followed him to stay behind. He was silent earlier, now he nudged Chen Luobai with his elbow, "Tell me, what's going on? You can fool them, but not me."

Chen Luobai, still holding the can of Coke, said casually, "Didn't I tell you last semester? I ran into her crying on the rooftop the day before the final exam. She seemed to be under a lot of pressure from studying. I didn't know how to comfort her, so I told her to skip class and relax."

"And then?" Zhu Ran asked.

"Then..." Chen Luobai paused again, the image of the girl crying with her head down in front of him that day emerged in his mind.

It's quite strange.

Obviously, more than two months have passed.

Yet he could still vividly recall her appearance at that time, her eyes were red and tears were falling.

Maybe because she was really beautiful, she looked especially pitiful.

"Then she started crying even harder."

Zhu Ran halted his steps, eyeing him suspiciously, "Did you do anything else at that time?"

Chen Luobai looked at him funny, "What can I do to her?"

"Why does she cry more when you try to comfort her then?" Zhu Ran questioned skeptically. 

Chen Luobai also stopped in his tracks. He was actually still confused by this until now, "Who knows? She's a timid girl, a well-behaved and good student. Maybe the idea of skipping class frightened her?"

Zhu Ran trusted his character.

If Chen Luobai was really the type to mess around with girls, even if he was a scumbag, with his face alone, his girlfriend could probably circle around the school.

Zhu Ran's only impression of Zhou Anran was indeed ‘well-behaved and good student’. After thinking about it, he felt that this reason made sense, "So those drinks earlier were really a bribe? Did she agree?"

Squeezing the Coke can in his hand, Chen Luobai recalled the girl's delicate fingers as she held the can, her fluttering eyelashes, and her gentle voice. 

"She said she won't."

He suddenly laughed.

"That counts as a yes."

---

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