Chapter 5
Who would have thought that Zhou Jiayan would unwittingly take over the conversation, "You don't know about the milk candy? An Sheng has decided to follow He Xun to take the entrance exam for University B, didn't he mention it to you?"
He also considered keeping a respectful distance from Ruan Su Mo, just as he had done with all the girls who had confessed to him before, to cut off her hopes early for her own good. However, seeing her gentle and submissive demeanor, he could never bring himself to do it.
The eerie silence enveloped the room, with no one daring to speak, as if they could not fully accept Ruan Su Mo's drastic transformation. It was Li Xia who reacted first, abruptly spitting out the milk tea from her mouth, shattering the silence.
At that moment, Ruan Su Mo's mind almost came to a complete halt. If someone were to ask her in that instant in which year Chairman Mao passed away, she would likely respond with a bewildered question, "Chairman Mao is dead?" It seemed as if her true nature had been suddenly awakened; she felt that in her 18 years of life, she had never experienced such exhilaration. If you were to ask her whether she regretted it, having played the role of a delicate lady for so long, it felt as if all her efforts had been in vain. Of course, she regretted it, but what was the use? She did not possess a Moonlight Treasure Box that could reverse time with a simple phrase like "pineapple, pineapple, honey." She had thought she could continue like this until graduation and then smoothly enter the same university as him. Even if Gu An Sheng still did not like her that much at that time, surely he would eventually get used to her, right?
Indeed, how come I never realized before that milk candy has such advantages? Had I known earlier, when my dad asked me to participate in that competition, I would have simply dragged her over to recite a rhyme, and perhaps the first prize would have been within reach.
Everyone has a scar in their heart. You may think that by not uncovering it, you can live in peace, but the appearance of He Xun is like stepping on a missile and landing, ruthlessly blowing apart Ruan Su Mo's defenses. She thought she could maintain a cold, expressionless demeanor and watch from the sidelines, but she could no longer pretend. Ruan Su Mo had imagined a thousand and one worst-case scenarios; she even planned how to be like weeds that cannot be burned out by wildfires, springing back to life with the breeze. She thought through everything so thoroughly, yet she was no match for a single word from Zhou Jiayan that shattered her completely.
Before she could fully express her surprise, Li Xia had already interrupted Zhou Jiayan, saying: "Why don't you let me kick you again?"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Jiayan covered his mouth with both hands in a gesture of surprise
In Gu Ansheng's memory, Ruan Su Mo was not like this. That little girl who was clearly afraid, trembling all over yet still had a determined gaze, that girl whose face was covered in tears and snot but still hugged him and loudly argued without any dignity, "I am not crying, I am just overwhelmed with joy," he remembered very clearly. Gu Ansheng thought, if Ruan Su Mo were still like she was before, would he fall in love with her? He probably would. From the initial surprise of their encounter, to becoming familiar, to the three of them being inseparable, to the addition of Li Xia, the 13-year-old Ruan Su Mo seemed to have become someone he could no longer find, not even a trace of her.
Following, in the past, Ruan Su Mo felt that this was the most romantic word among all. You walk, I follow; you leave, I accompany. Isn't it just describing her feelings for Gu An Sheng? Yet at this moment, it sounds like a joke.
The atmosphere seemed a bit awkward, and Gu Ansheng perhaps also felt that her behavior was somewhat inappropriate. She took a sip of milk tea and began to explain, "Actually, it's nothing much, I just think He Xunren is quite nice." Unexpectedly, Ruan Su Mo, who had been silent all along, suddenly stood up, startling several people. She leaned her hands on the table, staring intently at Gu Ansheng, her posture and the words that followed shocked everyone present. "Actually, it's nothing much, I just think He Xunren is quite nice." Unexpectedly, Ruan Su Mo, who had been silent all along, suddenly stood up, startling several people. She leaned her hands on the table, staring intently at Gu Ansheng, her posture and the words that followed shocked everyone present.
For a long time, Ruan Su Mo merely gazed at Gu An Sheng's smooth forehead and replied calmly
A sudden clap of thunder on a clear day
Zhou Jiayan was not concerned about these matters, his voice loud and clear, and it was the peak time for school dismissal, with many people coming and going around the small shop. After he finished speaking, Gu Ansheng frowned slightly in displeasure
Habits become second nature, and nature cannot be separated from them
The other party, upon seeing Ruan Su Mo rush out, displayed a fleeting, inexplicable panic on his face. He stood up, preparing to give chase, but after taking a few small steps, he stopped. What would it matter if he chased after her? Gu An Sheng thought.
It is a pity that it is not you who accompanies me until the end
Li Xia scolded, and she could clearly sense the stiffness of the people around her. She turned her head, only to see Ruan Su Mo's face growing increasingly lower. Li Xia felt somewhat annoyed at Zhou Jiayan's foolishness; after all this time, he still did not realize Ruan Su Mo's special feelings for Gu An Sheng. Why would a girl spend all her time hanging out with two older men? Not for money or profit, does she really have that much free time to waste with them? She might as well spend more time reviewing her studies. The college entrance examination is nothing for these wealthy young masters; if they mess up the exam, they can simply be sent abroad, and that would be the end of it. They would return with a golden layer to inherit the family business and bring glory to their ancestors. Although Gu An Sheng might skip classes and sleep, he always ranks first in major tests and quizzes, while Su Mo's name consistently follows closely behind Gu An Sheng. But time is money; one cannot afford to waste it without gaining anything in return. Zhou Jiayan can be excused, but isn't Gu An Sheng supposed to be highly intelligent? How can he not see any signs? Otherwise, why is there an old saying that scolds men as being wooden? These two in front of her are not just wooden; they are practically wooden stakes!
Is she hiding it too well, or is he not attentive enough
In fact, Gu Ansheng feels a sense of regret
The addition of Lixia marked the official establishment of the four-member team of Class A in the sciences. The group always moved together, undeterred by wind or rain. Later on, Lixia gradually discovered the latent wolf-like traits within Ruan Su Mo. For instance, when she saw Gu An Sheng receiving love letters, paper cranes, and chocolates, if one paid close attention to Ruan Su Mo's expressions, it would become evident that her gaze towards the other person revealed a hint of disdain and gritted teeth. Initially, Ruan Su Mo left a very weak impression on her, appearing indifferent to everything, but in the end, she realized she had been deceived. Subsequently, Lixia continued to uncover the latent wolf-like traits within Ruan Su Mo, as she observed her reactions to Gu An Sheng receiving love letters, paper cranes, and chocolates. If one were to notice Ruan Su Mo's expressions in a timely manner, it would be clear that her gaze towards the other person displayed a hint of disdain and gritted teeth. Ruan Su Mo's initial impression was too weak, as she seemed to care little about anything, and ultimately, Lixia discovered that she had been misled.
The girl named He Xun, whom the boy often mentions, has been observed by Ruan Su Mo for a long time. It all began when she noticed that Gu An Sheng's gaze would linger for a moment on the adjacent Liberal Arts Class A. That girl's innate intuition finally gave Ruan Su Mo a sense of what one might call tension
He was not originally someone who could comfort others, let alone now that his partner is a girl. Regarding that matter, he intended to speak to Ruan Su Mo about it. They had originally agreed to take the entrance exam for Q University together, and given their current grades, it was certainly not a major issue. He Xun was an unexpected factor; he was unsure how much he liked He Xun, but he had an inexplicable fondness for her personality from the very beginning. She radiated her brilliance like a sunflower, so vibrant and fearless. She confessed her feelings, and he accepted, leading them to naturally come together. He Xun pleaded for him to attend the same school as her. Although this thought was somewhat selfish, Gu An Sheng still agreed without much hesitation. Every time he accompanied Zhou Jiayan to send Ruan Su Mo back to the dormitory, he found himself hesitating to speak. Gu An Sheng was not unaware of Su Mo's feelings for him; his senses were not dull. He simply did not like her. Because he did not like her, such an intelligent person would act as if he were foolish, blind, and deaf.
The event began with a "peach blossom" belonging to Gu Ansheng, the only difference being that this "peach blossom" seemed to stir emotions within Gu Ansheng
You are actually taking care of a girl? I must be hearing things, is it going to rain red soon? Lixia, pinch me!
The two continued to perform a duet, telling cold jokes, and Ruan Su Mo's mood finally began to calm down. She slowly sat down, attempting to offer a futile explanation
Do you want the whole world to know? This concerns the reputation of the girl, and it is not appropriate.
"Oh, I didn't realize that Su Mo from our family is so humorous... Let's nurture this talent; who knows, he might become a comedian in the future, right?" After Lixia finished speaking, she immediately exchanged glances with Zhou Jiayan, who was sitting directly opposite her. Zhou Jiayan, still unclear about the situation, could only see Lixia staring at him intently before he finally managed to respond.
That afternoon, at the small ice cream shop where the four of them often sat, Ruan Su Mo ordered the same type of milk tea. The group continued their usual mundane conversation, when suddenly, the curious Zhou Jia Yan, who always brought up the most irrelevant topics, seemed to recall something and turned to Gu An Sheng beside him to ask.
If Zhou Jiayan was surprised by Gu Ansheng's expression when defending He Xun before, then at this moment, it could be described as sheer terror. He met Gu Ansheng's gaze, and the two stared at each other, witnessing a shock that could rival seeing a dinosaur.
I am not concerned about that; I am just worried that with the college entrance examination approaching, you might get distracted. Why is it that love is only good at this moment? Haven't you always wanted to attend Q University? Q University and B University are very close to each other, so you could see each other three times a day. If you come to an understanding, you could even enjoy a late-night snack together. How wonderful it would be to have a relationship without any obstacles, in a peaceful and quiet manner.
Ruan Su Mo's sentence was left unfinished, her voice already choked with emotion, and then she could no longer hold back, rushing out. Zhou Jiayan, the trigger for this situation, was completely taken aback, while Li Xia felt an overwhelming impulse to tear him to pieces.
Oh, I see, that's quite good. After all, you are doing well in the humanities. Look at how foresighted you are, balancing both the arts and sciences. When you and He Xun tie the knot, don't forget to send me an invitation. And when you have a precious child, don't forget to invite me to the full moon celebration. I won't be sending a gift, but Gu Ansheng, no matter what, we are still allies who have "shared hardships" in the past.
How is it good? In what way is it good? How do you know she is good without having interacted with her? Is she the kind of person who would be late to class just to help an elderly man cross the street, or is she like Uncle Lei Feng, doing good deeds anonymously? What is this mysterious allure? One moment she is a princess, the next a Cinderella, both angelic and devilish; it’s nonsense, constantly changing like a witch! You say that even Dong Cunrui had to follow the order of precedence when blowing up the bunker, so why is it that before her, so many 'brave warriors' sacrificed themselves heroically without you even blinking an eye, yet she makes you start to cherish her? Is it just because she has slightly better grades, some literary talent, and looks appealing to the audience that you treat her this way? It’s already summer; is it possible that the stone is just now beginning to feel the stirrings of spring?
Bro, how is your progress with He Xun going