Chapter Ten, First Encounter (10)

This is what Aunt Chen asked me to serve you to eat

Cen Ningxing walked out of his room with great excitement. As he went downstairs, he noticed that the pendulum on the wall was pointing exactly at twelve o'clock. He was taken aback and immediately turned around without hesitation to run back upstairs

Cen Ning came to her senses, frightened half to death by her own reckless embrace of him, yet she was reluctant to let go. Thus, caught in the awkwardness of holding on and letting go, she whispered, "I am not afraid; I am not a child anymore"

If you are being bullied, remember to speak up and communicate with your family about it

I have been busy lately and forgot to ask you how your final exam went

He was not aware of how such a simple sentence could warm the disappointed emotions of a young girl. For someone like him, achieving a score of just over ten in a class was certainly not a good result. Moreover, he rarely praised others; had it not been for the two eggs tonight, he might not have been inclined to discuss these matters at all

Good

However, there are some things that she cannot hold onto, and some people are destined to drift away.

Goodbye

One should be more astute, as this way you are truly susceptible to being deceived

"Tang Zheng, he actually told me that he is leaving soon." Zhang Ziyi handed her phone, which she had hidden in the drawer, to her. Cen Ning's heart skipped a beat after she took a glance at it.

As he watched her silhouette, he slowly straightened his body. For a brief moment, he felt that the empty winter night was not as unbearable as he had thought.

Cen Ning did not answer his question for the first time, but instead stepped forward and asked, "Are you leaving?"

Um ... ...

With a smile, Yan Xing said: "Yes, you are no longer a child."

"It will happen," Cen Ning said, her gaze deepening as if she were reassuring herself, repeating, "It will happen."

As the new semester begins, Cen Ning continues to work hard as always, listening attentively in every class. After returning home, in addition to studying, she also practices her spoken language skills. She strives diligently to improve herself and to become a better version of herself

Unexpectedly, he glanced at her; if I remember correctly, she was previously at the bottom of the rankings, and it is quite impressive that she has caught up so quickly

... ...

Zhang Ziyi has left, and only the two of them remain outside the car. Yan Xingzhi looked at Cen Ning again and, dissatisfied, said, "Have you all become so bold? Skipping class now?"

He is leaving, he is actually leaving so soon, isn't there still half a month left

Gently lowering his gaze, he looked at the little girl who was much shorter than him

The young girl in her prime and the boy who has just come of age, in that year, they were both still very young

The car stopped at the entrance of the courtyard, and as soon as Cen Ning and Zhang Ziyi got out, they dashed forward, crossing the tree-lined avenue and then the training ground...

I don't know, perhaps it has already departed

Zhang Ziyi lowered her head in disappointment: "Tang Zheng said that once you enter there, you won't have time to go home. Hmph—if that's the case, it would be much better for them to take the normal school route like Xin Zechuan, at least they could see each other often. Don't you think so, Ning Ning?"

Thank you

Because he mentioned pain, Cen Ning's movements became gentler. She carefully pressed the egg against the side of his face, her expression focused as if she were handling a precious jade.

... ...

Happy New Year

Ke Cen Ning gazed at him with bright eyes, as if she had pulled the reins of her horse at the edge of a hollow cliff, and the heart that had been lost for so many days suddenly found solace, her eyes almost turning red.

The world she imagines is vast, and she wishes to see many, many places; yet within this confined space, her world is also small, for in her eyes, only words and actions can fit.

I will go find him

This day was an utterly ordinary afternoon for Cen Ning

Good

Cen Ning was taken aback: "What?"

She has been cold for too long, so when she finally receives a bit of warmth, she will do everything in her power to hold onto it

Goodbye, Brother Xingzhi

Cen Ning was writing a question and glanced up, saying: "What are you doing?"

Ah?

I will be better

He did not notice the almost obsessive gaze of the little girl standing in front of him. He lowered his eyes and said softly, "You need to work hard"

Saying this, he observed Cen Ning for a moment: "Ahem, if I give it to you, you should drink it. Let me tell you, drinking more milk can help you grow taller."

Cen Ning put down her pen and was just about to take the milk from Song Ci when Zhang Ziyi, who was sitting in front, suddenly jumped up from her chair. Cen Ning was startled by her and asked, "What happened to you?"

Zhang Ziyi pondered for a moment: "Hey, will we be able to catch up with them if we hurry back now?"

"Wait a moment." The sudden call of his words and actions stopped her.

Zhang Ziyi turned around, her face filled with panic: "Damn! Cen Ning!"

For a student who no longer has to worry about grades, these days should be nothing but joyful. Yet, their words and actions remain as indifferent as ever, as if this were merely a trivial matter.

"Then you should eat quickly," Cen Ning said awkwardly while standing to the side, "I, I will leave first"

Zhang Ziyi gasped for breath and patted Cen Ning, who was sitting beside her: "I, I said, how could you run so fast? I almost couldn't catch up with you"

Why is he always able to be so good to her

Since that fight, Yan Xing has not spoken a word, yet both he and Xu Nanru remain exceptionally calm. Despite being under the same roof, they have not exchanged a single glance.

The atmosphere that should have been tense for the Yan family was instead filled with joy, not for any other reason, but because Yan Xing had been admitted early to the military academy, having successfully passed both the physical examination and the interview.

Song Ci still maintained the posture of holding the milk: "Hey—are you not going to drink this?"

Temporary Notice

You have made significant progress; it seems that you are indeed putting in a lot of effort

He still thinks of her

As she stepped out of the room once more, at the moment she closed the door, she heard the softly smiling voice of the person inside the room: "Cen Ning, Happy New Year"

What? Zhang Ziyi turned her head and ran, "I will go to his house to take a look"

He was momentarily taken aback, and at that moment, his phone, which he had placed aside, began to emit sounds, with New Year blessing messages arriving from all directions, just one second later than Cen Ning's New Year wishes

The difficulty of words and actions left me momentarily stunned, and what to do next has become a blank.

There is still one inside, wait a moment, I will go get it. The eggs have become a bit cold, Cen Ning turned back and hurried into the room.

I do not know, probably will not return for a long time

At this moment, he stood tall by the door, slightly surprised as he said: "I almost thought I was mistaken; aren't you in class? What are you doing here?"

Tang Zheng and Yan Xingzhi arrived at the same place. If he is to leave, does that not mean Yan Xingzhi must also leave? He clearly stated that he would stay at home for a while longer

Cen Ning suddenly stopped, turning to look at the familiar car.

Cen Ning was breathing lightly: "... ... I am leaving."

He has always been indifferent, but at this moment, even his unapproachable demeanor softened a little. After hesitating in his words and actions, he reached out and patted Cen Ning on the back, "What’s wrong, are you scared?"

Upon entering the room, Yan Xing took the egg from Cen Ning and began to massage himself

Cen Ning pressed her lips together and smiled subtly, saying, "Thank you"

He did not understand her panic, nor did he comprehend her reluctance. In his eyes, she was merely a relatively well-behaved little sister living in his home. Cen Ning lowered her head and slowly spoke: "I heard that you are leaving suddenly, so I just wanted to come and see you off."

Having said that, he brushed past her and entered the room

We skipped class. Zhang Ziyi did not pay attention to Yan Xing's suddenly furrowed brows and asked, "Where is Tang Zheng?"

Hello. Song Ci returned from playing basketball outside, holding a bottle of mineral water in one hand and a bottle of strawberry milk in the other. He tossed the milk onto Cen Ning's desk

That year, the summer vacation had not yet ended

When he is not present, will those people bully her

Alright. The young girl came out again, looking up at her with a concerned gaze that was clear and transparent, devoid of any insincerity.

That is a path he decided on long ago, and he will not change it

Cen Ning felt a mix of joy and a surge of nervousness within: "I, I scored 19 in the class."

Um ... ...

She did not know that a person's laughter or lack thereof could stir such great waves in her heart

He was momentarily taken aback, then smiled and said: "This cannot be an excuse, however, Cen Ning, it shall not happen again."

It's just that she is not ready yet, truly not ready

Throughout this entire semester, Cen Ning and Yan Xingzhi's relationship has grown closer. Yan Xingzhi is preparing for military school, so in addition to his studies, he trains with the troops every day. Whenever he has free time, Cen Ning asks him questions about his studies; when he is busy, she goes to the training ground, reading while keeping an eye on every movement of the formation.

"Ning Ning?" Zhang Ziyi paused in confusion, then followed her gaze to the car that was slowly coming to a stop not far away, "That is..."

"Don't skip class next time," he said with a frown, "It's quite hot, isn't it? Hurry back."

Children typically do not lie, as their thoughts and actions are aligned

Later, after the college entrance examination, many people were waiting for their scores and results

After the start of the new semester, Xu Nanru returned to school, and the Yan family returned to their previous tranquility

Hmm

Cen Ning stood dazed in place, her hand holding the egg slightly tightening; this was the first time in many days that she had seen him smile

He still remembers

He smiled slightly at the difficulty of words and actions, then reached out to pat her head: "Go inside, it's cold outside"

Before the words were finished, he was suddenly embraced tightly. Two slender little hands wrapped around his waist, almost conveying a sense of parting as if it were a matter of life and death

Song Ci wiped his sweat and casually said, "I brought an extra bottle of milk for you to drink."

This time, she barged into Yan Xingzhi's room without even knocking on the door. Yan Xingzhi was just about to get up to change clothes when he heard the sound and looked towards her as she returned, asking, "What’s wrong?"

"No need to be polite, we are desk mates, after all, we share a bond of revolutionary friendship." Song Ci broke open the milk straw, inserted it into the opening, and handed it to her, "Go ahead and drink."

A spacious road, a taxi is speeding by

There is also

"You, bend down." Cen Ning tugged at his hem.

Cen Ning turned around: "Ah?"

Family affection, romantic love, friendship... A single goodbye does not necessarily mean parting

Therefore, there is no need to rush anything. Emotions will always follow like a shadow, and they will emerge from their cocoon at the moment you least expect it

Cen Ning: "... ... Huh?"

"Hey, Cen Ning!" Zhang Ziyi looked at Cen Ning, who suddenly stood up and ran out of the classroom, unable to react. "I haven't finished speaking yet, where are you going?"

Cen Ning did not speak, she stared intently ahead, her two hands clenched tightly together

So, when will you return

At that time, it was still quite popular for schools to offer extra classes, so the soon-to-be second-year junior high school students returned to school two weeks in advance. Everyone sighed and lamented, but for Cen Ning, it made no difference.

Under the blazing sun, a thin layer of sweat appeared on Cen Ning's forehead. His "for a long time" exploded in her ears like deadly ammunition. She told herself to remain calm, as this was something she had known for a long time, yet on the other hand, she could not calm herself down. Thus, she could only stand there in a daze, letting her face turn pale.

Cen Ning: "Why did you buy so much?"

Her vision was somewhat blurred; she blinked to dispel the moisture in her eyes, allowing herself to see that person clearly again. He was still the same, with delicate features and a somewhat sharp demeanor

A car brushed past it

In the future, when I am not around, you should ask the teacher more if you have any questions that you do not understand

It is him. Cen Ning's heart raced as she lifted her foot and walked over. The more she walked, the faster she went, but she stopped again when the car door opened. She looked at the open car door, watching the person who stepped out from inside.

Cen Ning thought, this is probably what a truly capable person is like, as everything is within their plans and control, thus they remain unperturbed by everything that happens

"Well, it's not about buying more," Song Ci said as he sat down beside her. After a moment of thought, he added, "The convenience store has a buy one get one free offer. I just told Xiao Pang not to come after I gave him a drink."