Chapter Nine, Very Close to Ambiguity

One person remarked, "Zhong Yue, Lin Dan Yun is indeed a beauty; how many people wish to pursue her but cannot? You must not be unaware of the blessings you have." Everyone laughed and said that beautiful women are captivating, what regrets could there be in this life!

Le Yan said while eating a banana, "Everyone says that. They say they saw Zhong Yue sending Lin Dan Yun home, and they also say that she often goes to find Zhong Yue for no particular reason."

Feeling frustrated, she thought to herself, no wonder I felt something was off during the exam earlier, but the time was simply too tight to notice! I wore a light yellow short jacket on top, and I happened to choose a pair of long cream-colored pants—what should I do now? It's so obvious; if someone sees me, I might as well not live anymore. In a panic and drenched in sweat, yet too embarrassed to speak up, the young girl wished she could disappear at that moment.

Everyone noticed that Zhong Yue seemed to be angry, and they quickly tried to smooth things over, all laughing and saying, "Just kidding, why take it seriously? Everyone is just talking, after all—" Yet, they were all puzzled, observing his indifferent demeanor towards Lin Danyun; it seemed that the two really had nothing going on.

Her entire face, blushing with embarrassment, seemed to be dripping with blood as she softly murmured, "You go ahead first"

He nodded vigorously as if he were busy, casting a disdainful glance at Han Zhang. He rubbed his stomach, feeling somewhat hungry after such a quarrel. In fact, arguing is also a physical activity

In the afternoon class, Wang Caini reviewed the exam papers, translating the entire text without focusing on the inverted sentence structures. She still seemed to understand only partially. Zhong Yue even specifically asked her if she had understood, to which she nodded vaguely.

As it was late at night, he accompanied Lin Danyun to the school gate. Lin Danyun felt a bit reluctant to part with the time they had spent alone together that evening, so she mentioned that her home was on the other side of the school, requiring her to pass through the osmanthus bushes and the basketball court. At this late hour, it was dark and she felt a bit anxious and scared. He then escorted her all the way down to the ground floor

As soon as Lin Danyun left the Zero Class, someone joked with Zhong Yue: "Zhong Yue, are you just going to let Lin Danyun leave like that? Not even a word of farewell?"

After hours of intense and busy preparation for the comprehensive science exam in the evening, everyone slumped in their seats, almost unable to move. It was only after the papers were collected that she helplessly let out a sigh of relief. She stood up weakly to pack her bag, bent down to pick up a pen from the floor, and caught a glimpse of a faint red mark on the chair. Suddenly realizing, her face flushed red, and she hurriedly sat back down, not forgetting to sneak a glance around to see if anyone had noticed.

After this incident, Han Zhang privately remarked to others: "Don’t be fooled by Zhong Yue’s usual silence; whenever someone approaches him with a question, he patiently explains everything, displaying a good-natured demeanor. However, when he truly gets angry, he is like a tiger. Just a roar from him can make everyone’s legs tremble. " People felt that he was being too picky, even dismissing a beauty like Lin Danyun.

He couldn't help but say, "Actually, this problem can be easily solved from a different perspective—" He took her paper and pen, only to see her bury her head in the crook of her arm, displaying a clear refusal to listen. Unable to hold back any longer, he finally asked, "He Ruchu, have I offended you in some way?" He asked cautiously, filled with trepidation.

Zhong Yue did not leave, but was waiting for her at the door. When they first met, he had given her his coat, wearing only a thin sweater himself, and quietly asked, "Are you cold?" He smiled and shook his head, "It's fine. The rain has stopped now, so it's not too cold. Let's go, I guess we are the only two left in the school."

In winter, it gets dark early, and with a bit of freezing rain, the streetlights began to flicker on one after another before five o'clock. Zhong Yue shook the water droplets off her umbrella and pushed the door open. From a distance, she saw her leaning there, her head resting on her arm, silently staring at the math problems copied onto a blank sheet of paper, which had been left behind by the tutor before leaving in the afternoon

Upon arriving home, she hurriedly took a shower, personally washed and hung her clothes to dry. It was already late at night, and the wind had picked up, creating a rustling sound as it passed through the branches. Mother He came to knock on the door, asking why she was still awake. She responded softly, gazing at the long windbreaker hanging by the window, its belt dancing in the wind. Her heart felt warm yet bittersweet, a mix of sadness and joy that was hard to articulate. With a gentle sigh, she drew the curtains and turned off the lights to sleep. She responded softly, gazing at the long windbreaker hanging by the window, its belt dancing in the wind. Her heart felt warm yet bittersweet, a mix of sadness and joy that was hard to articulate. With a gentle sigh, she drew the curtains and turned off the lights to sleep.

As they happened to pass by the basketball court on a Saturday night, a rare occasion without self-study, many people were playing basketball. When they saw the two of them walking together, Zhong Yue returned alone. Zhong Yue is naturally well-known, and Lin Danyun, being a famous beauty from "Shanglin No. 1 High School," led to rumors of a talented man and a beautiful woman spreading quickly.

He also said: "For example, this thought-provoking question, you can ask me too—"

Although the rumors gradually faded, He Ruchu still refused to ask Zhong Yue about the topic and hardly paid attention to him, rarely willing to speak to him. Even Zhou Jianbin slowly noticed this and once jokingly asked her if she had quarreled with Zhong Yue.

She suddenly became impatient, pushed her chair away, stood up, and said, "I will step out for a moment." Zhong Yue made a note and was eagerly waiting for her return. However, she returned to the classroom just as the class bell rang, with the old physics teacher Gao following closely behind.

When faced with her probing questions, he could only shake his head and say he was unaware, hurriedly returning to the classroom. However, his heart was in turmoil; he had long known that Lin Danyun liked Zhong Yue. He recalled the night they went to the movies, the look Zhong Yue had for Lin Danyun—although the school explicitly prohibited dating, it was not entirely impossible. After all, there were still many couples in the school who dared to defy the rules.

Zhong Yue saw that the joke had gone a bit too far, and scolded, "What nonsense are you talking about? You only know how to fabricate stories out of nothing. You even make up things that have no basis, I truly admire you all."

Zhong Yue did not even raise his head, completely too lazy to pay attention. He was somewhat aware of the gossip behind his back, but he regarded it as mere jokes among people who had nothing to do after a full meal, dismissing it with a smile. Amidst the heavy burden of study, everyone also enjoyed whimsically pairing couples and making fun of others for amusement

Zhong Yue saw her wearing white pants, so he took off his long coat and said, "My coat is long, I can cover you for a moment"

She nervously twisted her fingers and clumsily said, "Um, um—I'm afraid of troubling you—" Unbeknownst to her, some psychological factor was at play, as she always felt it was better to keep her distance from him. Perhaps it was a sense of inferiority lurking in her subconscious.

Seeing that she still had not responded, he said: "Discussing with each other can deepen understanding, and it is beneficial for me as well. You need not be so polite; I am not someone who does not seek your assistance!"

Even Han Zhang joined in the fun, saying: "Why is there no sign of her? The eyes of the masses are sharp. That woman Lin Danyun has been proud and arrogant since childhood, yet she speaks to you in such a lowly manner, and you still won't admit it. If you are a real man, you should stand up boldly; embracing a beauty is nothing to be ashamed of!" This prompted a round of applause from the crowd, who cheered loudly, and even those who were bent over their homework raised their heads to see how he would react.

She gently nodded, then turned her back to him. Due to the cold weather, she let her hair down to shield herself from the wind, the fine strands cascading down to the table, spreading out like ink, leaving traces on his heart as well

For some reason, when Zhong Yue saw Han Zhang today, he felt somewhat impatient. He stepped forward and coldly said: "Han Zhang, if you like Lin Dan Yun, then go after her. I will not stand in your way. What is it to use me as a shield? A real man should dare to act and take responsibility"

He no longer dared to ask him questions, instead opting to inquire about Zhou Jianbin or other people. He would rather frown and reluctantly seek out Han Zhang, choosing the distant over the near. Once again, she was seen taking her study materials to find Han Zhang. Han Zhang mocked her for not even being able to solve this problem. In a fit of anger, she exclaimed that the person who set such a question was a jerk. In fact, Han Zhang also couldn't solve it right away, and she mocked him in return. The two began to argue again—indeed, Han Zhang couldn't solve it immediately either, and she mocked him again. They started to quarrel once more—

Walking through the puddles, he meandered under the dim streetlights. There was no conversation along the way. Upon reaching the entrance of the community, He Ruchu spoke up: "I will return your clothes after they are washed." He nodded, indicating that he was not in a hurry to wear them, and walked away with his hands in his pockets

She had no choice but to dawdle and wait for everyone to leave first. However, because they had just finished the exam, many people gathered around Zhong Yue to compare answers, and they did not leave for a long time. She was extremely anxious, feeling hot all over, twisting and turning, unable to find comfort anywhere. Finally, she heard someone shout: "The lights are about to be turned off, let's go, let's go, it doesn't matter if we got it wrong, there's no use discussing it now." Only then did a few boys gradually leave.

After finishing the evening self-study session, Zhong Yue walked out of the library only to return to retrieve the mock exam papers. However, she was seen earnestly asking Zhou Jianbin how to form inverted sentences. Observing the two of them engrossed in discussion, he was momentarily unaware of his own arrival. After taking the exam papers, he quietly walked away, but just before exiting, he couldn't help but glance back at her. Her bangs had grown a bit long, sliding down to obscure her eyelids, leaving a faint shadow behind.

She nodded and said thank you, without turning back to look at him. She took the exam paper and stuffed it into the drawer, then pulled out her chemistry book and focused on the lecture

A sharp pain in my chest made it difficult to breathe, and I felt somewhat sad. Therefore, I did not return to the classroom immediately; instead, I stood at the end of the spiral staircase, enjoying the cool breeze for a while. It was already December, and although the weather in the south was not extremely cold, the north wind howled as it rushed into my collar, still chilling to the bone

At this moment, Lin Danyun pushed the door open and entered, rubbing his hands and smiling as he said, "Ah, your class has better conditions, with air conditioning. How comfortable it is. The wind outside is quite strong"

It was not until the urgent bell rang that she came to her senses and hurried back to the classroom. Just as she sat down, Zhong Yue handed her a test paper and whispered, "During the big break, Teacher Wang came by and distributed the Chinese test paper from last time. You weren't here, so I kept it for you."

Another female classmate came over to chat and asked her why she looked so unenergetic, with pale lips, wondering if she was ill. She lowered her voice and said her stomach hurt a bit, possibly due to eating ice cream earlier. The classmate remarked that she shouldn't have eaten cold food in the middle of winter and then asked if she could solve the thought-provoking questions left by the teacher. The two discussed back and forth but did not reach a conclusion. The classmate left first because someone called her.

Lin Danyun leaned over to ask him what he was doing, and he replied that he was working on Olympiad math problems. Xu Motou intended to have him participate in the national mathematics competition, so he provided him with several sets of test papers to assess his level, and then planned to give him individual lessons

In her panic and helplessness, she could only nod, take his trench coat, and turn her head away, not daring to look at him—"You go out for a moment first." Watching him close the classroom door, she hurriedly jumped up, tidied up in a rush, and put on his trench coat before coming out

Someone shouted: "Zhong Yue, a beauty is looking for you!" Zhong Yue smiled and did not take it seriously, but Lin Danyun felt a bit embarrassed from everyone's teasing

Zhong Yue was still working on the exam paper that Xu Mo had given him. When he looked up, he saw that the entire classroom was empty, with only her remaining. He said, "It's getting late; the lights will be turned off in ten minutes." As he spoke, he put away his paper and pen. Noticing that she was still sitting motionless, her head nearly touching the ground, he gently pushed her with his hand. When he looked up, he saw that her expression was not quite right; her face was flushed like she had applied rouge, and she was biting her lip, wanting to say something but hesitating. He hurriedly asked, "Are you running a fever?"

She looked up in astonishment. He continued, "I feel that your attitude has been a bit strange lately, and I keep wondering if there is some misunderstanding between us—" She lowered her head and remained silent for a long time.

He stood up involuntarily, wanting very much to pull her back, but his outstretched hand retracted again

Isn't it natural for classmates to help each other? What does it matter if it's troublesome or not! In fact, he really wishes she would treat him as casually as she does with Han Zhang. Every time he sees the two of them arguing, he feels a twinge of envy.

She shook her head, looking at him with an embarrassed expression, and said softly, "You go ahead, I will turn off the lights—" as she nervously fidgeted. Zhong Yue noticed her unusual behavior, her difficulty in speaking, and saw her sitting upright with her hands tightly clasped on her lap, then releasing them—suddenly realizing something, he quietly said, "Sitting here all the time is not a solution." Zhong Yue noticed her unusual behavior, her difficulty in speaking, and saw her sitting upright with her hands tightly clasped on her lap, then releasing them—suddenly realizing something, he quietly said, "Sitting here all the time is not a solution."

Lin Danyun saw her still angrily saying that Han Zhang was like a lamp post, only illuminating others and not himself, and hurriedly said: "Aren't you hungry? Let's go home for dinner, and you still have self-study in the evening" and dragged her away

In a moment of shock, Han Zhang, who was usually eloquent, was left speechless, never expecting that Zhong Yue would turn around and falsely accuse him. Regaining his composure, he quickly clarified: "That woman, Lin Danyun, we live in the same building and have grown up together since we were little, so let's just forget about it—" Seeing Zhong Yue still looking at him with a fluctuating expression, he hurriedly clasped his hands and said: "Buddy, consider it a slip of the tongue on my part. You, Zhong Yue, are magnanimous and should not hold it against me. A statesman should be broad-minded; as for Lin Danyun, I promise I won't bring it up again—" Secretly wiping away a cold sweat, he finally understood the true extent of Zhong Yue's power. He quickly clasped his hands again and reiterated: "Buddy, consider it a slip of the tongue on my part. You, Zhong Yue, are magnanimous and should not hold it against me. A statesman should be broad-minded; as for Lin Danyun, I promise I won't bring it up again—" Secretly wiping away a cold sweat, he finally understood the true extent of Zhong Yue's power.

After class, Zhong Yue said: "He Ru Chi, I looked at your Chinese exam paper, and you got two questions wrong in the classical Chinese translation." Saying this, he took out his own exam paper and handed it to her, marked with a red pen, saying: "This is an inverted sentence structure; when translating, you can move the content before the character '之' to the back—"

Lin Danyun saw him busy, and although she had a lot to say, she knew that he prioritized studying above all else and did not want to disturb him. So she turned to find He Ruchu, only to see her arguing with Han Zhang again. The situation was getting a bit out of control, so she said: "Oh dear— you two have been arguing for over ten years since childhood, isn't it annoying? He Ruchu, don't you think arguing with someone like Han Zhang is a waste of time and energy?"

Zhong Yue smiled and said: "I know you all have nothing to do, teasing me all day long just to amuse yourselves. However, some things are better left unsaid; there is no truth to them, and discussing them is rather pointless." He firmly denied it. The others quickly changed the subject and began discussing the upcoming final exams.

Han Zhang greeted her to leave together. She hurriedly shook her head, "You go ahead, I will leave later." He came over with his backpack, pulling her as usual and said, "What are you doing out so late? Come on, let’s go." She angrily pushed him away, "I have something to do, I’m not going!" Her anxiety grew even more. Seeing her lose her temper for no reason, Han Zhang muttered, "This woman is crazy." He shook his head and walked away first.

This rumor first spread among the girls. One day, He Ruchu encountered Le Yan on her way to the teacher's office building to submit her English assignment. Le Yan pulled her aside with a mysterious expression and said, "I heard that Zhong Yue is dating Lin Danyun from the art class. You know them both well, is it true?" He Ruchu looked at her in surprise and after a long pause, finally asked, "Who did you hear that from?"