Lemon Soda Candy - 50

Zhou Anran sat back in her seat, one ear still burning fiercely.

What did he mean by, If he’d seen her, she wouldn’t have gotten away that night?

She reached up to touch her ear, only to hear Sheng Xiaowen lean in and whisper, “Did Chen Luobai just kiss you?”

“?!”

“No way!”

“If it wasn’t a kiss, then what—” Sheng Xiaowen’s tone was laced with skepticism.

Zhou Anran stopped her. “He just leaned in to say something to me.”

Sheng Xiaowen eyed her flushed ears. “What kind of thing needs to be said that close? Something no one else should hear?”

Zhou Anran: “??”

“No, it’s not like that.”

“Then what was it?” Sheng Xiaowen pressed.

Zhou Anran: “…”

“Nothing.”

Sheng Xiaowen reached out to pinch her cheek. “Ranran, you’re not being honest.”

Yan Xingxi chimed in, “When it comes to Chen Luobai, she’s never honest. We’ll grill her tonight—I know her weak spots.”

Zhou Anran: “…?”

The two teams were somewhat mismatched in strength.

Even after Chen Luobai left the court, the Foreign Language Faculty only managed to close the gap by 5 points in the second half of the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Chen Luobai played for just three minutes before coming off again. Zhou Anran watched him closely, noting the bandage on his elbow was still intact, no fresh blood seeping through. Her worry eased.

The Law Faculty won the game with ease.

As the final whistle blew, the spectators behind her began to file out.

Zhou Anran wasn’t in a rush to leave. His clothes were still with her—he’d definitely come find her.

The two girls beside her seemed to share the same thought, staying put and pulling out their phones again.

Zhou Anran figured they were gossiping with Zhang Shuxian in their group chat and didn’t bother to peek.

Who knew what kind of nonsense they’d be spouting in there?

The players from both teams left the court.

Zhou Anran saw the boy stand up from his spot, high-fiving the teammates returning to the sidelines before turning toward her.

She quickly lowered her head, pretending she hadn’t been watching him.

Moments later, a familiar tall figure stopped in front of her, his voice sounding above her head.

“I’m heading out to grab food with the team.”

Suddenly, a teammate from the Law Faculty called out, teasing, “Chen Luobai, you seem so reluctant to leave—why not invite this junior to join us?”

“Yeah, Brother Luo, bring your female classmate along for dinner!”

Zhou Anran caught the familiar phrase “your female classmate” and glanced up, spotting his roommate, Yuan Song, grinning as he spoke.

Her gaze shifted slightly higher, meeting the boy’s dark, smiling eyes.

“Wanna come with me?” he asked.

Her ears burned again, and she shook her head. “I’m staying with Xiaowen and Xingxi.”

Sheng Xiaowen, still engrossed in the group chat, didn’t even look up. “Don’t worry about us. We can handle dinner ourselves—or drag He Mingyu along if we need to.”

Zhou Anran hesitated, then shook her head again.

The Law Faculty crowd was mostly strangers to her, save for Yuan Song, whom she barely knew. Eating with them would feel awkward, and with so many people, she wouldn’t get to talk much with him. Plus, it had been a while since she’d seen Sheng Xiaowen and Yan Xingxi, and she had so much she wanted to catch up with them.

“I won't go.”

Chen Luobai didn’t push. He hummed in acknowledgment, then turned to Sheng Xiaowen and Yan Xingxi beside her. “I’m pretty busy this week, but next time, I’ll treat you two to a meal.”

Yan Xingxi smirked. “Ranran’s our best friend, you know. A random meal won’t cut it for us.”

Sheng Xiaowen nodded enthusiastically in agreement.

Chen Luobai chuckled. “How about this, you two pick the place next time, and we’ll keep going until you’re satisfied. Deal?”

“That’s more like it,” Yan Xingxi said, grudgingly appeased.

Zhou Anran: “…”

Afraid they’d say weird things, she hurriedly shoved his clothes back into his arms. “Your teammates are waiting. Go change, be careful with your injury.”

The clothes in his arms carried her faint scent. Chen Luobai’s throat itches, but with people all around, he resisted teasing her further. He nodded. “Got it. Text me if you need anything.”

Only after the girl gave a small, obedient nod did he turn back to the court, clothes in hand.

Zhou Anran stood up.

Sheng Xiaowen and Yan Xingxi tucked their phones away.

Yan Xingxi glanced over, nudging Zhou Anran. “Ranran, that girl who brought Chen Luobai water earlier—she’s going with them.”

Sheng Xiaowen looked at her. “You sure you’re not going?”

Zhou Anran looked up.

The group was heading toward the inner passageway. The boy in the black jersey, carrying two pieces of clothing, was talking to someone beside him, his lazy smile catching the light.

A girl trailed behind, her gaze fixed on him.

It’d be a lie to say she didn’t feel a little jealous.

But—

Zhou Anran shook her head. “I trust him.”

“Fair enough. If Chen Luobai were the type to fall for just anyone, he wouldn’t still be single.” Sheng Xiaowen said, linking arms with her. “Since you’re not going, take us to eat. I’m starving.”

Zhou Anran nodded. “Cafeteria again, or somewhere off-campus?”

“Let’s stick with the cafeteria,” Yan Xingxi said. “Your school’s food is pretty decent.”

The three headed to the cafeteria.

Halfway through their meal, Sheng Xiaowen suddenly remembered something. “Oh, right—I almost forgot. Can you ask Chen Luobai for his roommate’s WeChat for me?”

Zhou Anran pulled out her phone. “Sure, I’ll ask him.”

---

Chen Luobai and his teammates had gone to the locker room to change first. It took some time to get from school to the restaurant, and they’d only just sat down in the private room and ordered food.

After playing a full game, his stomach was empty. He reached into his baseball jacket pocket and pulled out a lemon soda candy.

Yuan Song, sitting next to him and equally famished, spotted the candy and reached for it. “What’re you eating?”

Chen Luobai swatted his hand away hard.

“Ow!” Yuan Song grimaced, rubbing his hand. “You used to share everything, man. When did you get so stingy?”

Chen Luobai peeled the candy wrapper with a grin. “I’ve always been this stingy.”

Yuan Song’s eyes flicked to the jacket, which had spent the afternoon in a certain someone’s arms and seemed to realize something. “Your precious classmate gave you that?”

Chen Luobai paused mid-peel. “Not exactly.”

She’d only slipped two candies into his desk back then.

If she’d left a whole pack, he wouldn’t have mistaken them for someone else’s and eaten them so carelessly.

“So it’s still connected to her, huh?” Yuan Song smirked, catching on.

Chen Luobai popped the candy into his mouth, crumpling the wrapper in his hand. “Mhm,” he mumbled.

These few candies had been in his jacket pocket all afternoon, along with his phone. When he handed her his stuff, he’d deliberately turned off the lock screen password. If she’d just flipped through it casually, she’d have found the little secret inside.

But when he gave her his things, he knew with her personality, she would never snoop through his stuff.

“Chen Luobai.”

Some senior suddenly called out to him, tone teasing. 

“What’s the deal with you and that girl from the Biology Faculty?”

Chen Luobai crunched the candy, smiling. “Didn’t you all see for yourselves?”

“All we saw was you shoving your clothes into her arms and asking her for water. How’re we supposed to know what’s going on?”

“Yeah, is she a close friend or your girlfriend?”

Yuan Song, who knew the candy was tied to Zhou Anran, didn’t dare try snatching it again. He resignedly grabbed some peanuts to tide himself over instead, chuckling at the banter.

The girl who brought Chen Luobai water during the break was Zhao Xueke, their classmate. She’d been helping out a lot during training, bringing water and snacks. Anyone with eyes could tell her intentions weren’t just friendly.

Chen Luobai hadn’t touched any of it, but the seniors in the department, having accepted her favors, were subtly rooting for her. Right now, they were trying to fish for info or maybe even playing matchmaker.

But it was a lost cause. 

Yuan Song munched on a few more peanuts, enjoying the drama. 

Chen Luobai toyed with the candy wrapper. “Not my girlfriend.”

Yuan Song caught Zhao Xueke’s eyes light up from where she sat on Chen Luobai’s other side.

Yuan Song sighed inwardly.

Sure enough, the next second, the young master next to him said lazily, “Haven’t caught her yet. Not sure if she’ll still have me.”

The room was full of A University’s brightest—no one was dense.

One senior caught on right away. “You two go way back?”

Yuan Song, glancing at his sneakers, decided to join the fun. “Way back? She’s his high school classmate. You don’t know how long he’s been pining. Back at the start of the semester, when half the girls on campus were trying to dig up info on him, he was holed up in our dorm staring at her picture, lost in thought.”

Chen Luobai kicked his chair, laughing. “You and your big mouth.”

The seniors in the room were sharp.

They knew if Chen Luobai really wanted to stop Yuan Song, he wouldn’t have waited this long. His face showed no trace of annoyance—he’d clearly let Yuan Song spill on purpose.

Sure, they’d eaten Zhao Xueke’s snacks, but their loyalty to her only went so far. No one was about to ruin things with Chen Luobai over it.

They promptly dropped the matchmaking act.

“No wonder,” one said. “I was wondering why you moved so fast when the Biology Faculty barely crosses paths with us.”

Yuan Song kept eating peanuts, noticing Chen Luobai’s phone light up.

“Yo, Chen Luobai,” he said, nudging his chair. “Your precious classmate texted you. Lemon Soda Candy is her, right?”

Zhao Xueke, on the other side, saw the guy, who’d been about to talk to someone, instantly lower his head to grab his phone. The lazy air about him vanished, replaced by something almost… tender.

Though Chen Luobai had casually mentioned it earlier, he hadn’t expected her to actually text him first. He unlocked his phone.

Lemon Soda Candy: [What’s the name of that guy who picked us up this afternoon?]

Chen Luobai’s grip on the candy wrapper tightened, the paper crinkling in his palm.

He let out an exasperated laugh, typing back: [You finally text me first, and it’s to ask about some other guy’s name?]

Lemon Soda Candy: [I wasn’t done!]

Lemon Soda Candy: [Xiaowen said she’s a bit interested in him and asked me to see if you could get his WeChat for her.]

Chen Luobai stared at her first message.

Somehow, he could almost hear her tone as she typed it.

Suddenly, he really wanted to hear her voice.

He stood up. “You guys start eating when the food comes. I’m stepping out to call her.”

He didn’t say who “her” was, but everyone seemed to know.

“Already keeping tabs on you?” a senior teased.

Chen Luobai tucked the candy wrapper back into his pocket, grinning. “Nah, she’s got something to ask. If she wanted to keep tabs, I’d be thrilled.”

Zhao Xueke’s face paled.

The guy pushed his chair back, phone in hand, and left the room without so much as a glance at her.

A senior slid a drink toward her, a gesture of consolation. “Let it go.”

Zhao Xueke: “…”

It wasn’t like she had much choice.

Not just now, but since the semester started, he’d barely noticed her at all.

---

Chen Luobai, oblivious to the brief drama in the room, found a quiet spot outside and dialed her number.

She picked up quickly, her soft voice tinged with surprise. “Why’re you calling all of a sudden?”

“Can’t I?” he asked, his voice low.

She paused, then said, still soft, “I didn’t say you couldn’t.”

Something in Chen Luobai’s chest stirred, like a feather brushing against his heart. He almost regretted making the call but steered back to the point. “Sheng Xiaowen wants Zhou Qingsui’s WeChat, right?”

“She wants the WeChat of the guy who picked us up this afternoon,” Zhou Anran said. “Is his name Zhou Qingsui?”

Chen Luobai hummed. “Ask her if she’s serious first. Zhou Qingsui’s family situation isn’t great—he’s so busy he’d split a minute in two if he could. If she’s just messing around, tell her not to bother him.”

Zhou Anran: “I’ll check with her.”

Her voice grew muffled, like she’d moved the phone away.

A few seconds later, it was clear again. “She says she’s definitely not messing around, but if she says she’s super serious now, you probably wouldn’t believe her. She just wants his WeChat to get to know him better.”

“Alright,” Chen Luobai said. “I’ll ask him later.”

The phone moved again, her voice faint.

Two seconds later, she spoke softly. “Can you ask him now?”

His ear tingled. “If I ask now, what’s in it for me?”

“Huh?” She sounded surprised again. “What do you want?”

He just wanted to tease her. The thing he wanted wasn’t something he could say now—it’d probably scare her off.

“I’ll let you owe me one,” he said, lowering his voice playfully. “I’ll tell you when I figure it out.”

A second of silence.

Her voice came back. “Okay.”

So obedient it killed him.

The hand clutching the candy wrapper in his pocket tightened. Chen Luobai leaned against the wall, closing his eyes briefly. His other hand covered the phone’s microphone, and he muttered a rare, barely audible curse under his breath.

“Can you ask him now?” she asked again, her voice soft.

He uncovered the microphone. “Yeah, I’ll do it. Hang up and wait.”

---

In the cafeteria, Sheng Xiaowen watched Zhou Anran end the call. “He’s asking for you?”

Zhou Anran nodded. “Why’re you in such a rush?”

“Better to rip the Band-Aid off,” Sheng Xiaowen said. “Waiting’s torture—might as well get an answer.” She glanced at her. “Didn’t expect our school heartthrob to be so whipped, though.”

Zhou Anran: “…”

Whipped? Hardly. She had to owe him a favor to get him to help.

But since Sheng Xiaowen and Yan Xingxi hadn’t picked up on that, she wasn’t about to bring it up. They’d just tease her mercilessly.

She just wondered what kind of favor he’d ask for.

A moment later, her phone pinged.

This time, he didn’t call—just sent a message.

C: [He says he’s too busy and not in the headspace for this. Doesn’t want to waste her time.]

Zhou Anran pursed her lips.

Sheng Xiaowen saw her reaction and guessed. “Chen Luobai? Did Zhou Qingsui say no?”

Zhou Anran nodded, handing her the phone and linking arms with her. “Don’t be upset, okay?”

“I’m a little disappointed, but it’s not unexpected,” Sheng Xiaowen said. When Chen Luobai mentioned Zhou Qingsui’s busy schedule, she’d already sensed this coming. She handed the phone back. “I’m not that upset. It was just one meeting.”

Zhou Anran: “Good.”

Sheng Xiaowen pinched her cheek, grinning. “There’s always next time. When we visit again, Chen Luobai’s probably gonna treat us to that meal.”

Yan Xingxi jumped in. “I bet we’ll get that meal by next week.”

Zhou Anran: “…?”

Sheng Xiaowen: “Ask him if he can bring his roommate along.”

“Alright,” Zhou Anran agreed.

---

Since Sheng Xiaowen and Yan Xingxi rarely visited, they didn’t rush to leave. The next morning, they explored A University with Zhou Anran, then spent the afternoon in the hotel room watching variety shows and chatting. After dinner, they headed back to their school.

After seeing them off at the subway station, Zhou Anran bought a few milk teas for her roommates outside campus.

Back at the dorm, she saw Xie Jingyi and Bai Lingyun huddled at Xie Jingyi’s desk, deep in conversation. They fell silent when she entered, looking at her with hesitant expressions.

“What’s wrong?” Zhou Anran placed the milk teas on their desks.

Bai Lingyun nudged Xie Jingyi. “You tell her.”

Xie Jingyi pushed back. “No, you do it.”

Seeing their troubled looks, Zhou Anran guessed, “Is it something about me?”

Has someone confessed to Chen Luobai publicly again?

But with his personality, he wouldn’t have said yes.

Or… had something happened to him?

Her heart clenched.

Xie Jingyi sighed. “Fine, I’ll say it. We heard a rumor about you.”

---

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