Lemon Soda Candy - 38

After leaving the escape room, they went to another location for dinner together.

The gathering then came to an end.

Despite living in the same city, Zhou Anran, Yan Xingxi and Sheng Xiaowen are usually busy with schoolwork, it wasn't easy for them to meet up. So they had agreed beforehand that instead of returning to their respective schools after the gathering, they would stay overnight at a hotel and hold a small girls-only gathering the following day.

Plus, with Zhang Shuxian having traveled all this way, there was no chance they were going to return to school tonight.

Zhou Anran had packed a change of clothes in her bag when she left this morning. Yan Xingxi will take care of the other essentials for their hotel stay.

Outside the restaurant, Zhou Anran walked in front, linking arms with Zhang Shuxian. 

Zhang Shuxian leaned in closer and whispered, "How about you go back to school tonight and just come see us tomorrow?”

"Why would I go back to school?" Zhou Anran asked, confused.

Zhang Shuxian winked at her, "I'm giving you more time to be with him."

Zhou Anran: “…”

With a flushed face, she quietly reached out to pinch Zhang Shuxian's waist, "Are you done yet? If the three of us go back to school, won't you be all alone?"

"That's true." Zhang Shuxian laughed, avoiding her pinch. "Well then, you'll have to stay with us tonight."

The two continued chatting as they exited the building.

The temperature dropped significantly at night. A cold wind hit Zhou Anran's face. She Instinctively pulled her cardigan tighter around herself, then suddenly remembered something and tugged Zhang Shuxian back, "Hold on a second."

She turned to Yan Xingxi, who was trailing behind them, "Xixi, the temperature has gotten really cold now. You should go to the bathroom and change into the long skirt in my bag.”

"It's fine, I don't need to change," Yan Xingxi replied, walking around her and stepping out first.

A moment later, she popped her head back in, scrunching her neck, "Ahhh, why is it so cold? Ranran, let me borrow your skirt."

Zhou Anran handed over the bag, "I'll come with you."

Yan Xingxi was about to agree, but hurriedly shook her head, "No need, Xiaowen said she needed to go too. I’ll go with her.”

Zhou Anran: “…”

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a familiar tall figure striding toward her.

Since she still had to wait for Yan Xingxi, she stepped aside to make way for him.

Chen Luobai stopped next to her.

"Are you not going back to school?" he asked in a low voice.

Zhou Anran felt her forehead and nose that he accidentally touched earlier heated up again. She avoided his gaze and simply nodded, "Yeah, I'm staying at the hotel with them tonight.”

Zhou Anran thought the conversation would end here.

But then she heard him ask slowly and softly, "Which hotel?” 

Zhou Anran couldn't help but raise her head, meeting the boy's smiling eyes. His smile wasn't as dazzling as it had this afternoon, but it was still there. 

She bit her lip, "It's just right ahead. We're planning to walk there.”

"I see." Chen Luobai replied casually, as if he was merely making small talk, "Let me know when you arrive."

***

After spending the whole day having fun, Yan Xingxi, Sheng Xiaowen, and Zhang Shuxian collapsed onto the bed as soon as they got to their hotel room. Zhou Anran hadn't taken a shower yet and didn't want to lie down, but she was pulled onto the bed by the three.

Her phone slipped from her grasp, tumbling to the edge of the bed 

"Quick, confess honestly.”

Zhou Anran found herself sandwiched between them, “Confess what?”

"What else?" Zhang Shuxian turned to face her, staring intently, "You know exactly what we mean—Chen Luobai!”

Zhou Anran grabbed a pillow and blinked, feeling a little shy, "There's really nothing to confess. I told you I don't like him anymore.”

"Not this again." Yan Xingxi rolled her eyes. "We just didn't want to expose you that day."

Sheng Xiaowen: "With how you behaved today, you still have the nerve to say you don't like him?"

Zhou Anran was slightly taken aback, "Is it that obvious?"

"Not exactly, but you can't even look straight at him." Zhang Shuxian pointed out, "Others might not notice, but we can tell something's fishy right away.”

Zhou Anran: “…”

"Say." Yan Xingxi sat up from the bed, looking like she was ready to interrogate her, "What's going on between you and him now? Don't try to hide anything from us."

Zhou Anran hugged the pillow, "It's just like what you saw."

Zhang Shuxian stroked her chin, "What we saw? I see that Chen Luobai treated you differently. We're also his high school classmates, yet he didn't ask us for our WeChat. He only spoke to you today and even took you with him when we played in the escape room this afternoon."

"He took me with him because you asked him to." Zhou Anran retorted quietly.

Yan Xingxi: "He could've said no. If he’s so easy-going, why couldn't any of the girls who pursued him in high school get close to him?"

"Exactly." Zhang Shuxian agreed. "I saw him whispering to you at lunch. That wasn’t our doing, was it?”

Zhou Anran: "We weren't whispering. He was just asking me if Xixi and Dongchen always bickered every time they met."

Yan Xingxi: “……?”

"What about this afternoon? You two were alone for so long; did nothing happen?” 

Zhou Anran’s face flushed again. She hid behind the pillow, leaving only her eyes peeking out, "Nothing."

"Nothing? Then why are you blushing?" Zhang Shuxian pretended to tickle her, "If you don't tell me, I’ll tickle you."

Zhou Anran hid closer to Sheng Xiaowen.

Sheng Xiaowen seized the chance to grab her wrists.

"Alright, alright." Zhou Anran relented. "I’ll tell you.”

With a flushed face, she roughly recounted what happened in the afternoon when he covered her eyes.

"Fuck, he covered your eyes?!" Zhang Shuxian also grabbed a pillow over, "Why does that sound even sweeter than a hug?”

Zhou Anran: “…”

Sheng Xiaowen pondered for a few seconds, "I think his words are quite ambiguous."

"......?" Zhou Anran didn't quite understand. She also pondered about it, "What do you mean ambiguous?"

“Chen Luobai only referred to you as 'she' when talking to the NPC. That guy must have had his fair share of turning down girls. If he truly wanted to keep his distance from you, he wouldn't have phrased it that way," Sheng Xiaowen pointed out. "If it were me, I'd say something like 'my classmate is scared'. That way, I could remain a gentleman while also keeping things clear.” 

Zhou Anran felt a flutter in her chest, "You're reading too much into it.”

"Sure, just think I'm overanalyzing it." Sheng Xiaowen pinched her face.

Yan Xingxi added,"Anyway, what's most important is how you feel about it now.”

"Yes." Zhang Shuxian also asked, "What do you think of his attitude towards you?"

Zhou Anran clutched the pillow, after a brief pause, she murmured, "...I’m not sure, I don't dare to think too much."

From the day he added her on WeChat, she felt like she was living in a colorful bubble.

It was so dreamy, yet so surreal, as if it could burst at any moment.

Sheng Xiaowen noticed the blush fade from her face and her eyelashes trembling slightly, "Then don't overthink it. Consider we were talking nonsense just now. With Chen Luobai's character, if he really likes someone, he'll take the initiative to pursue them. Just get along with him as you are now and see how things goes."

Zhou Anran hummed softly.

At this moment, the phone that had tumbled next to the bed rang.

Zhang Shuxian, who was lying nearby, glanced over upon hearing the sound. 

"Chen Luobai seems to have sent you a message.”

Zhou Anran was startled, suddenly recalled she had promised to let him know when she arrived at the hotel. It had completely slipped her mind when they made such a fuss, she hurriedly took the phone.

"So anxious?" Sheng Xiaowen teased.

Yan Xingxi said sourly, "I've never seen you this excited over my messages. Should we leave you alone?” 

"Why are you so exaggerating?" Zhou Anran chuckled.

She unlocked the screen and saw that he was indeed asking if she had reached the hotel.

C: [Not arrived yet?]

Zhou Anran: [I've arrived.]

Zhou Anran: [Sorry, I forgot to tell you.]

C: [No worries, as long as you arrived safely.]

Since Zhou Anran said there was no need for them to leave, the three stood beside her, watching her texting him without any courtesy.

Zhou Anran was a little embarrassed, but couldn't resist sending one more message: [Have you made it to school yet?]

C: [I'll be there soon.]

Zhou Anran pursed her lips: [Then make sure to get to bed early.]

C: [OK, you too.]

Zhang Shuxian had a frustrated look on her face, "Are you really going to kill the conversation with such a boring line?"

"What do you suggest then?" Zhou Anran turned to look at her.

Zhang Shuxian tapped her finger on the screen, "Though I've never been in a relationship, when he says he'll be there soon, you could casually ask if he's heading back to the dorm directly, won't it open up a new topic?"

Zhou Anran: "I'm afraid of bothering him."

"I find that Chen Luobai's tone is strange." Sheng Xiaowen interrupted.

Zhou Anran shifted her gaze, “Strange?"

"He doesn't usually speak like this, I noticed that he likes to tease people. Zhu Ran used to get so angry at him that he jumped to his feet. Why does he sound all serious when he talks to you—" Sheng Xiaowen paused, "Never mind, I'll stop overanalyzing for you.”

The phone stopped ringing.

Zhou Anran tossed it onto the bedside.

The four girls squeezed together on one bed.

Yan Xingxi sighed, "Who said things would be easy after going to college? It's obviously very exhausting. I can barely find time to see you all.”

Zhang Shuxian: "At least you're still in the same city."

Sheng Xiaowen: "I'm also really exhausted +1"

Zhou Anran: “+2”

"Let's watch a variety show together." Yan Xingxi proposed, "Someone please turn on the TV."

Zhang Shuxian flopped back down, "I don't want to move."

Sheng Xiaowen: “+1”

"Alright." Zhou Anran got up, "I'll do it."

***

After spending the weekend with her high school classmates, when Zhou Anran was woken up by the alarm clock on Monday morning, she momentarily thought she was back home in Nancheng, where she would have breakfast prepared by He Jiayi after getting up, then she and Yan Xingxi would head to No. 2 High School with school bags on their backs.

It wasn't until she heard Xie Jingyi's cries that she finally woke up from her half-asleep state.

"I hate getting up early!" Xie Jingyi shot up from the bed with messy hair.

Zhou Anran rubbed her sleepy eyes, turned off the alarm, and slowly got out of bed.

She hung out with Yan Xingxi and the others the whole Sunday, and had set her alarm a bit later than usual. For some reason, even Yu Xinyue woke up late today. By the time Zhou Anran and her roommate made it to class, the front row seats were already filled.

They went to sit in the back row.

Just as she was about to open a book to read, someone took the last empty seat next to her. 

Zhou Anran didn't pay attention at first, until the person next to her called her name.

"Zhou Anran."

Turning her head, she was greeted by the sight of a pair of gold-rimmed glasses.

"He Mingyu." She was surprised, smiling as she greeted him, "You really came to attend our class."

He Mingyu let out a ‘Hmm’,"Why else would I ask you for the class schedule? This is perfect; I have an English question I need your help with."

"What is it?" Zhou Anran asked.

He Mingyu pulled out his phone and placed it in front of her.

Since starting university, Zhou Anran still kept up with her English studies. She glanced at the screen and saw a test paper for a CET-4 reading test. After explaining the question to He Mingyu, her eyes caught another question on the page marked with ‘IELTS’ in parentheses. She asked casually, "Are you preparing for the IELTS this early? Do you want to apply for an exchange program?”

He Mingyu nodded, "Yes, my English skills are average, so I can only prepare ahead."

"Good luck." Zhou Anran replied.

"What about you?" He Mingyu turned his head, glancing at her porcelain-white profile before looking away. "Do you have any plans? If we’re lucky enough to apply to the same school, we could look out for each other.”

Zhou Anran shook her head, "Not yet, I want to lay a solid theoretical foundation first. Besides, you know my personality—"

"What's wrong with your personality?" A deep, familiar voice suddenly interrupted from behind, penetrating into her ears.

Simultaneously, several people in the front row turned their heads to look in their direction, causing a little commotion in the classroom.

Zhou Anran paused and turned to look behind her.

Chen Luobai has sat behind her without her knowing.

The boy was dressed in a gray hoodie today, with his hair falling over his forehead. He appeared like he hadn't had much sleep and looked sleepy, slouching lazily on his seat.

His appearance was still as striking as ever, no wonder it caused such a commotion the moment he came in.

Zhou Anran froze for a moment.

He Mingyu also turned around and asked, "Are you here to attend the class too?"

"Yeah." Chen Luobai gestured his chin towards the boy next to him, "I came with him."

Zhou Anran noticed that although he was answering He Mingyu's question, his gaze remained fixed on her, as if he was waiting for her response.

She felt her fingers curl subtly.

Just now, she wanted to say that she has always been introverted and is not very good at dealing with people. Adapting to the new environment change in China was already difficult for her, it would definitely take a lot more time for her to adapt to a different language and environment abroad. Exchange programs are typically short, they might not be the best fit for her.

While she could openly share this kind of thing that somewhat ‘exposed her own shortcomings’ to He Mingyu, she couldn't bear to say it to him.

Zhou Anran pursed her lips, "It's nothing, we're just chatting casually."

Not sure if it was just her imagination, but as soon as the words left her lips, Chen Luobai’s expression seemed to dim. His previously raised brows fell, casting shadows over his dark eyes, even the sleepiness on his face seemed to vanish.

Zhou Anran felt a knot in her heart, she wanted to say something more, but the bell for class suddenly rang.

Actually, she didn't know how to mend the situation and could only turn back.

The teacher of this particular class likes to select people to answer questions. Zhou Anran didn't dare to be absent-minded. She forced herself to push aside her wandering thoughts and focused on the class.

To her surprise, the teacher didn't call her, and instead chose He Mingyu who was sitting next to her.

Perhaps it was because he was listening too carefully.

But no matter how carefully He Mingyu listened, it was his first time attending this class. Worried he would be embarrassed if he couldn't answer, Zhou Anran quickly jotted down the answer in a notebook and passed it to him.

Once He Mingyu finished answering and settled back into his seat, Zhou Anran was about to continue listening to the class when she heard a muffled voice from behind. It was an unfamiliar voice that she had never heard before.

But because it mentioned a very familiar name, like a spell, it easily caught her ears.

"Chen Luobai, your female classmate is quite enthusiastic.” 

Zhou Anran waited for a moment, but did not hear his reply.

Her thoughts spiraled again.

So he introduced her to his friends as a ‘female classmate’?

When the class ended, Zhou Anran wanted to turn around, but as soon as the bell rang, He Mingyu interrupted her with a question about the lesson.

Zhou Anran calmed down and began explaining.

While she was in the middle of explaining, another voice came from behind, this time it was a female voice, it seemed to be Nie Zizhen.

"Chen Luobai." She had somehow made her way from the front row to the back, still just as friendly with everyone. "You're actually interested in our class?"

The classroom was noisy.

There was no sound from the back row for a moment.

Then, Zhou Anran heard Chen Luobai's voice. His tone was notably nonchalant, unlike his usual laid-back tone, he sounded like he was in a bad mood.

"Not really, just here to accompany someone."

Nie Zizhen: "Then are you interested——"

Before she could finish, he cut her off, "Sorry, please make way for me."

The second half of his sentence seemed to be directed to the boy who came with him, "I'm going back to the dorm to catch up on some sleep, you can continue the class on your own."

"Sure." The unfamiliar male voice replied smilingly, "Remember to set your alarm. We don't dare to call and wake you up."

The sound of footsteps behind her gradually faded into the distance.

"Zhou Anran." He Mingyu called her.

Zhou Anran came back to her senses, "Sorry."

He Mingyu had another class to attend, and it seemed Chen Luobai's friend did too. After the class concluded, they both left respectively.

Zhou Anran followed her roommate to another classroom for the next class.

They were a little early this time and took a seat in the front row. 

Once seated, Zhou Anran lowered her head, took out her phone, opened WeChat, and clicked on her chat with Chen Luobai.

[Just now…] 

She typed and then backspaced to delete them.

From the back row, Nie Zizhen, who was now sitting behind her, asked, "Zhou Anran, what's your relationship with that handsome guy from the Physics Department?"

Zhou Anran paused, realizing that she was talking about He Mingyu.

She locked her phone and turned around to respond, "He's also my high school classmate, he just came to attend the class out of interest."

"He's also your high school classmate?" Nie Zizhen asked, "In the same class as Chen Luobai?"

Zhou Anran nodded.

A girl beside Nie Zizhen gasped, "All your high school classmates are so good-looking. Chen Luobai is our recognized school hunk, and you're considered the new school belle by all the guys in our faculty. That physics boy also looks very gentle and good-looking. What kind of heaven class did you have in high school?"

Zhou Anran clutched her phone, "No, I wasn't very noticeable back in high school."

The spotlight always seemed to shine on that one person alone.

The teacher arrived early for the class, and the girl stopped talking to her.

Zhou Anran turned back to her phone, unlocking the screen again. Her eyes lingered on his profile picture for a moment before letting out a soft sigh and closing the app.

She kept telling herself not to think too much. 

Yet, she seemed unable to stop herself.

He's Chen Luobai.

How could he possibly be upset over a casual chat with an ‘ordinary female classmate’ like her?

The following days were packed with classes and assignments. Zhou Anran and Yu Xinyue spent several days in the library and managed to complete their homework ahead of time by Thursday.

That evening, she returned to the dorm a little earlier than usual.

Although it was considered early, it was already past 9:30 when she arrived. 

Bai Lingyun was still caught up in student union duties outside, while Xie Jingyi was working on her homework alone in the dorm.

Zhou Anran chose not to disturb her. She settled into her seat, rested her arms on the desk, and opened WeChat distractedly. 

Her fingers seemed to glide down the screen almost of their own accord, eventually stopping at Chen Luobai's chat as if drawn by an invisible force.

Their last conversation ended the previous Saturday night when he texted, "Okay, you too," and there had been no new messages since.

Zhou Anran stared blankly at the chat.

It wasn’t until her phone rang that she snapped back to reality.

It was a call from Yu Bingqin.

Afraid of disturbing Xie Jingyi who was doing her homework, Zhou Anran stepped out onto the balcony to answer the call.

Yu Bingqin's voice was still just as pleasant, "We're going out to rehearse tomorrow night, do you want to come and listen?"

Zhou Anran was a little regretful she didn't get to hear her sing in the KTV last time, she quickly agreed, "Yes."

"Great," Yu Bingqin continued, "If I have time after rehearsal, I can teach you how to play the guitar.”

Zhou Anran recalled that she had mentioned something similar before.

Back then, she had said, "The other new member doesn't know how to play either. I'll teach you both when I have time.”

"If you have no other questions." Yu Bingqin's voice came through again, "I'm hanging up now."

Zhou Anran suddenly called out to her without thinking, "Senior."

Yu Bingqin: “Hmm?”

"Um..." Zhou Anran slowed down her breathing, trying to sound more natural. "Will you only teach me tomorrow? Won't it be too much trouble for you?"

Yu Bingqin, who rarely spoke in long sentences, responded, "It's no trouble at all. I spoke with Chen Luobai yesterday, but I think he said he might not come. I didn't catch it clearly, can you ask him for me? If he comes, I can teach both of you together.”

After Yu Bingqin ended the call, Zhou Anran's phone screen flickered back to his WeChat chat box, 

Zhou Anran leaned against the balcony railing, staring at the screen. This time she had a valid reason, her fingertips finally typed: [Senior Yu said they will go out to rehearse tomorrow night.]

As she was contemplating how to ask if he would go or not, she heard a loud shout. Zhou Anran's hand slipped and accidentally hit send.

One second later.

Her phone buzzed.

C: [I know, she told me.]

C: [Are you going?]

Zhou Anran: [I should go.]

Zhou Anran: [Senior said you're not going?]

C: [I told her yesterday I wasn’t sure]

Zhou Anran: [Are you sure now?]

C: [I'm sure now.]

Zhou Anran: “…”

Why can't he say anything clearly?

Zhou Anran pursed her lips, couldn't resist asking: [Are you sure you're going or not going?]

The phone buzzed once more.

He sent a voice note.

A very short one.

She expected him to simply respond with ‘go’ or ‘not going’.

Zhou Anran held the phone to her ear, pressed play, and his voice floated softly into her ear——

"Zhou Anran."

It wasn't ‘go’ or ‘not going’.

He was calling her name.

With the phone pressed against her ear, it felt as if he was whispering right beside her, sending a shiver from her ears straight to her heart. 

His next message came at this time.

It was still a short voice note.

Zhou Anran covered her ears with her hands, still holding the phone close, reluctant to pull it away, his next words echoed close to her ear, clearly filled with a smile.

"See you tomorrow night," he said.

---

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