Chapter Eight, First Encounter (8)

Cen Ning pressed her lips together and nodded slightly

She did not dare to close her eyes, for as soon as she did, the image of him earnestly explaining the problems to her not long ago would appear in her mind. She often felt that he was very indifferent, yet at that moment, she felt that his tenderness could drown a person in it.

That's good, hey, if there's anything you don't understand, remember to ask me

As Cen Ning approached, she caught sight of the book he was holding, with the words "firearms" flashing on the cover. The next moment, Yan Xingzhi stuffed the book into a small bookshelf nearby

In fact, I was just talking nonsense, so please, don't tell my mother; she doesn't like my father like that. Returning to reality, Cen Ning also has a mother who has a deep aversion to photography

He expressed his gratitude with a word: "Then I shall take my leave."

Nan Ru has returned, and you have not seen him before; he is Xing Zhi's younger brother

Which issue is problematic, point it out. In an instant, her thoughts were drawn back to her studies, "Before your dreams can begin, you must first resolve these fundamental matters."

Indeed, with their talents and beauty, they look like a painting when standing together, truly a perfect match

Song Ci: "Is that so? I thought it was the case."

However, just because they seem compatible does not mean they are truly compatible

Cen Ning turned over, holding an extra pillow, and secretly blushed in the room that was only occupied by one person

I am not sure about this either, but it should already be at home by now

Cen Ning: "Ah?"

I thought so too

Cen Ning was caught sneaking a glance, and for a moment, her heart raced, leaving her feeling tense. "I, I..."

"It's nothing." With his actions, he pushed the orange juice a little further away, resting one hand on his head and leaning sideways to look at her exam paper, "Can you figure it out?"

Throughout the journey, Cen Ning often wondered how Yan Xing would react to her rapid improvement in grades. Perhaps there would be a look of approval, or perhaps... he might even praise her.

"It's alright." He took her pen and casually pulled out a piece of draft paper, "Let me calculate it for you."

Why are you reading this book

Dusk, the sun is about to set

Having finished the meal beforehand, he is now sitting at the desk, casually flipping through an extracurricular reading material, "Come here."

Mr. Yan was referring to his father, Yan Su. Cen Ning was taken aback and asked, "Where did he go?"

Still unable to? She had not put pen to paper for half a day, slightly raising her eyebrows and looking at her.

Every time Cen Ning thinks of that scene, her heart races, and she wishes she could rush to Yan Xing's side in the next moment

It is a kind of disdain towards the weak

Wei Pinfang said nothing about this, only occasionally bringing her some food before quietly returning to her own room. At school, Cen Ning also began to show some subtle changes; for instance, she spoke more with her classmates, participated more in class discussions, and became bolder when asking Song Ci and Zhang Ziyi questions.

If you truly like something, you must put in the effort; if it is merely talk, then it is truly just a dream. He glanced at her with a sidelong look and said, "Do you understand"

Cen Ning looked at Yan Xingzhi in front of her, who was carrying her light pink backpack on one shoulder, and felt a bit complicated.

Cen Ning's expression slightly stiffened: "No."

Cen Ning nodded and held the backpack tightly in her arms

Uncle Zhong!" Cen Ning opened the car's side door, "Brother Xingzhi, haven't you arrived yet?"

Everyone takes it for granted

Yan Xingzhi also sat in the car, while Cen Ning looked past him at Meng Peiyan, who was standing outside the window. Coincidentally, she was also looking at her. The two silently exchanged glances, each with their own thoughts.

Alright

Later, after finally enduring the final exams, at the moment of receiving the exam scores, Cen Ning's heart, which had been tense for several days, finally relaxed

Well ... ...

Cen Ning nodded: "Mm."

Cen Ning: "... ... Oh."

As soon as the word "good" left Cen Ning's lips, she saw Yan Xingzhi and Meng Peiyan standing by Uncle Zhong's car at the school gate

Do you like this? Cen Ning was somewhat curious, so will you be like grandpa in the future

Her gaze was slightly profound, and she curled her lips: "No."

"Cen Ning, did you understand all the lessons today?" Song Ci asked as he walked beside her

Meng Peiyan had only seen her once, which was during that occasion at the sports field in the courtyard, but at school, she often heard others mention her. The most prominent label associated with her is: the campus belle

Hmm?

She spread out her exam paper and casually said, "Is it good? Have you thought about what you want to do in the future?"

This is the last time. "Your words and actions are rather serious, you cannot always rely on my thoughts; next time, you must calculate it yourself, do you understand"

Cen Ning felt somewhat ashamed, her hands tightly gripping the side of the table

And this indifference is sufficient to extinguish Cen Ning's fervent passion inch by inch

Cen Ning is uncertain about what love is; she only knows that she can distinguish between what is liking and what is very much liking

Cen Ning was momentarily taken aback

After class on the second day, Cen Ning packed her backpack and walked from the classroom towards the school gate

In terms of her words and actions, she seems to be very fond of it

Meng Peiyan pointed to another car not far away and said, "My dad is here to pick me up"

Time passed second by second, and in the meantime, the housekeeper brought in a serving of juice for the two of them

"I didn't scold you," he said lightly, glancing at him. "You don't need to be nervous"

Cen Ning, did you not say something in a stammering manner, unexpectedly glancing at her and asking: "Photographer?"

Cen Ning lay on the bed, gazing out the window at the faint and indistinct shadows of the trees, lost in thought

This change was not brought about by others, but rather it was a result of her own self-imposed pressure, as her stuttering problem is fundamentally psychological. Therefore, the remedy lies in taking that step out of her own mind.

At the moment he stepped through the door, a rich aroma of food wafted in, and he turned back to hand her his backpack, saying, "After dinner, come to my room, bring the exam paper with you"

Cen Ning stated emphatically: "They are not a pair"

Uncle Zhong said: "Mr. Yan came to pick him up at noon, and he did not come to class in the afternoon"

Cen Ning nodded and said somewhat anxiously, "Then, let us hurry home"

A warm home, with family waiting for her to have dinner, and him accompanying her back home. At that moment, Cen Ning felt that she had everything.

If there is someone in this world who is willing to treat you gently, then all the past harshness and desolation can be completely forgotten

After finishing her meal, Cen Ning carried her backpack and went upstairs under the appreciative gaze of Yan Guofeng

She wants to present the results of her hard work to Yan Xingzhi first

As soon as the car arrived at the entrance, Cen Ning happily got out of the vehicle, her lips involuntarily curling upwards as she reached out to push open the large door

Good

Later, the two of them took a taxi home

"Ning Ning, you are back. What are you doing standing at the door? Come in quickly." Aunt Chen helped her take off her backpack, "There are guests at home, remember to call your brother later."

... ...

This question is actually of the same nature as that multiple-choice question; think again if you have any ideas. After finishing his words, he took a sip of orange juice, and just as he swallowed it, his brow furrowed slightly, "Sweet"

His question was merely casual, for he understood that children of this age often have fanciful thoughts, and that they rarely possess any genuine dreams. However, he did not expect that after a moment of silence, Cen Ning would suddenly say: "I want to be an excellent photographer"

Pushing open the door to the room of words and actions, she stood at the entrance in an orderly manner and softly called out, "Brother"

Cen Ning seemed to return to the moment when her father was by her side, holding his camera and photographs, proudly showing them to her as if they were treasures. She was still young and did not understand the quality of the photos, yet she could feel the pride and satisfaction of being a photographer.

She did not expect Yan Xing to come out just as she was about to call him. She felt a surge of joy, but as she opened her mouth to speak, she saw him pass by her with a cold expression. This kind of indifference was not the unconscious demeanor he usually displayed; rather, it was a coldness that was evident on his face and in his eyes, a true reflection of a mood that had reached the lowest point.

Yan Xingzhi opened the car door for her, and as Cen Ning bent down to get in, she heard Yan Xingzhi ask Meng Peiyan, "Shall I give you a ride?"

Under the bright lights, Cen Ning was almost blinded by his indifferent yet gentle profile. She suppressed the feeling of a hundred flowers blooming in her heart and gently nodded her head

Cen Ning glanced at him and said, "Ah?"

The heart of a young girl awakening to emotions being hurt is one thing, while the loneliness of a child in their teens being comforted is another. Cen Ning thought that it seemed no one had ever accompanied her home in this way, and even fewer had noticed that her backpack was very heavy, causing her shoulders to ache.

Cen Ning suddenly turned around and saw Yan Xing quickly walking out of the small courtyard. She stood dazed at the door, unable to regain her senses

Cen Ning glanced at him; under the light, his eyelashes cast a small shadow on his fair face, trembling slightly, captivatingly beautiful.

He gestured for her to sit down by patting the chair beside him and said, "I like it."

"Hmm, record the most beautiful, the most exhilarating, the most, the most heart-stopping moments." Cen Ning etched her father's words into her heart, and she articulated each word, "I want to be the recorder of time"

Cen Ning remained silent and quickened her pace to walk over. Yan Xing's gaze lightly fell on Song Ci, and only after he turned to leave did he look at Cen Ning, asking, "Did you skip class?"

Cen Ning did not understand the meaning of his words, only saying: "Well, that's good."

Ah... did I say too much? Cen Ning came to her senses and asked somewhat awkwardly

Cen Ning. He saw Cen Ning and her deskmate walking out from a distance, his brows slightly furrowing, his tone carrying a hint of dissatisfaction, "Hurry up, get in the car"

Casually twirling a pen, his gaze fell upon her exam paper: "Cen Ning, pursue what you want on your own, do not be swayed by others"

"It is the same." Yan Xing smiled briefly, then suddenly said, "But it is also different."

After school, she carefully placed the exam paper into her backpack and hurriedly ran towards the school gate

"Hey, isn't that Yan Xingzhi and Meng Peiyan?" Song Ci chuckled lightly, rarely engaging in gossip, "I heard they are a couple. You are close to Yan Xingzhi, do you know any inside information?"

After a moment, Meng Peiyan smiled gently at her, a very pleasant smile, neither sharp nor affected, yet Cen Ning敏感ly sensed an emotion that she disliked the most

Cen Ning looked at her fair skin and exquisite, noble face, and could only think to herself that she truly deserved the title of campus belle

Time passes day by day, and the final exams are drawing closer, prompting Cen Ning to work harder. Wei Pinfang has noticed several times that the light in Cen Ning's room is still on in the middle of the night. Whenever she pushes the door open, she always finds her studying, sometimes doing exercises, and other times listening to English with headphones.

Although it is unlikely for her to suddenly rise to the top in a class full of talented individuals, her current mid-to-upper ranking represents a significant leap compared to her previous last-place standing in the monthly exam

She recalled the little gossip that Zhang Ziyi occasionally shared with her about the class, who liked whom, who confessed to whom, and she said, that is love

Cen Ning's feelings of inferiority were at play, yet deep within her, there was a small part that was cheering her on. If one day she could also become outstanding, then standing beside him, she would surely appear to be a perfect match.