Chapter 8, Far from Love

"Shanglin No. 1 Middle School" has never had weekends since the junior high school division; the senior year only has Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons off. Every Saturday evening, due to the absence of lengthy evening study sessions, everyone is quite excited and groups of two or three invite each other to go out and have fun

Zhong Yue turned his head to glance at them, his gaze lingering on the two for quite a while. After a pause, he finally said softly, "Everyone is watching us." Indeed, the people in front and behind were looking at them with reproachful eyes, and only then did Han Zhang quiet down

Upon exiting the cinema, Lin Danyun said to Zhong Yue: "That male lead died so tragically, looking so handsome—" her voice choked, her nose twitching, and there were glimmers of tears in her eyes

During the evening self-study session, she recalled the proof problem from Le Yan and turned back to say, "Could you help me with this problem?" handing him the test paper. He quickly put down his pen, leaned over to take a look, and said, "You give it to me first, let me try it out." She politely thanked him. Zhong Yue felt that her demeanor today was strange, as if she was particularly distant from him, so he said, "There's no need to thank me for this, it's just a small effort."

She turned her head and glared at him fiercely, inadvertently catching sight of Lin Danyun tightly gripping Zhong Yue's sleeve, appearing like a delicate bird relying on someone, evoking a sense of pity, while Zhong Yue was looking down and saying something to her

Mother He frowned and said, "It's not that I don't let her rest. It's just that it's already dark, and a girl shouldn't be out without coming home for dinner, what kind of behavior is that! You and your daughter are both the same, spending all day outside without knowing what you're doing, and we hardly see you at all." Mother He's words were veiled, hinting at deeper meanings.

After hearing this, it took her quite a while to respond: "He is a very good person." There seemed to be a tone of defense in her voice. The two exchanged a few more casual remarks before she went home

Due to the large crowd, the two groups of people dispersed. He, feeling dejected throughout the entire evening and lacking the mood to wait any longer, suggested: "It is getting late, let us leave first." Han and Zhang thought that Zhongyue and the others would not be able to find anyone and would naturally return. Thus, the two of them left ahead.

Zhong Yue smiled, raised her eyebrows and said: "I just heard someone say that the cinema is showing 'Pearl Harbor'. If you don't mind it being boring, why not go watch the movie? What do you think?"

Mother He looked at her figure and said: "This girl has gone crazy, she is already in her third year of high school, yet she spends all day outside having fun, not knowing to be more serious. It's all her father's fault for spoiling her!" Thinking of Father He, she called him to ask if he would be home for dinner. As usual, Father He said he was busy and would not be coming back.

Zhong Yue still wanted to wait, saying: "What if they haven't left? I'm worried about He Ruchu; I just called home, and her family is very concerned about her safety." Lin Danyun was content as long as she was with him, willingly accompanying him until the crowd dispersed.

He Ruchu, initially busy and hesitant to decline, said: "Don't feel embarrassed. I actually have something I need your help with. There are a few questions I can't solve, and I was going to ask someone else, but since you're here, I'll ask you instead." Upon hearing this, He Ruchu replied: "Show me first, and let's see if I can help."

As the scene of the male and female leads becoming intimate unfolded, several young individuals, not quite adults, began to feel uneasy. If they were all boys or all girls, they might have teased each other a bit, but the presence of the opposite sex made the atmosphere particularly awkward. He Ruchu shifted uncomfortably on the cushion, feeling hot in the face, and glanced at Zhong Yue on the far side, noticing his expression seemed to flicker, which only heightened her embarrassment. Han Zhang suddenly exclaimed, "Not suitable for children, not suitable for children—He Ruchu, you are not yet of age—" He Ruchu shifted uncomfortably on the cushion, feeling hot in the face, and glanced at Zhong Yue on the far side, noticing his expression seemed to flicker, which only heightened her embarrassment. Han Zhang suddenly exclaimed, "Not suitable for children, not suitable for children—He Ruchu, you are not yet of age—"

Leyan sighed and said: "I heard that he is polite, but he is also cold and distant, making him hard to approach. In fact, someone as outstanding as him must have high standards, and ordinary girls can only look up and sigh in admiration. Moreover, your class is so remote; who would go there for no reason? If the teacher finds out, it could be disastrous!"

Zhong Yue crossed through the dense crowd, watching their figures pass through the revolving glass door, ultimately disappearing down the long flight of stairs

Han Zhang smiled oddly and said, "We don't need to know, we don't need to know—" displaying an attitude of 'hear no evil, see no evil.' She then tapped He Ruchu's head and said, "Where are your eyes looking? Watching a movie is serious business!" He Ruchu hurriedly sat up straight, placing her hands neatly on her lap, and focused intently on the screen. Her demeanor resembled that of a student attentively listening in class rather than someone watching a movie.

Upon returning, she looked around and asked, "Where are they?" Han Zhang lazily replied that they had gone to buy food, and after saying this, he closed his eyes to rest. She looked up and scanned the surroundings, and in the distance, she saw Zhong Yue holding Lin Danyun close, making their way through the crowded people, inching closer step by step. The two were very close, with Zhong Yue's chin resting perfectly on Lin Danyun's head

Lin Danyun, who had grown tired of waiting outside for them to finish class, walked over, clapping her hands in agreement, and said: "I heard that 'Pearl Harbor' is really well made, with grand scenes and beautiful visuals, comparable to 'Titanic'. Let's go right now, and we can grab something to eat along the way"

Upon returning home, Mother He asked her where she had been and why she hadn't come back for dinner. She replied that she had gone to buy reference books. Mother He then inquired, "What reference books did you buy? Let me see." It was only then that she remembered she hadn't bought a single book she intended to get, so she stammered that the bookstore didn't have them yet. Without further explanation, she hurriedly put her backpack on and rushed back to the "Knowledge Bookstore"

After class, he had already solved it and explained the steps to her one by one. She listened, nodding her head, and suddenly realized, saying: "Oh—so that's how it works—Zhong Yue, thank you so much." Zhong Yue felt a bit uneasy hearing her say thank you; such polite words had never been exchanged before. He looked at her carefully a few times but found it difficult to say anything.

The dim light suddenly felt glaring to her, and she hurriedly lowered her head to look at her feet, remaining silent. Even when Han Zhang arrogantly commanded her, "Move over a bit—" she did not retort as she usually would, but instead, she blankly shifted over one seat.

Mother He spoke earnestly, saying: "Chuchu, you are already in your third year of high school. After you finish the college entrance examination, you can watch as many movies as you want—" Before she could finish her sentence, Father He took the microphone and said: "Go ahead, go ahead, remember to come back early. Are you going alone or with classmates? Be careful."

Once they got off the bus, Zhong Yue pointed to the public phone and said, "He Ruchu, why don't you call home?" She thought for a moment and nodded. Zhong Yue then led her across the street.

Zhong Yue is standing aside, and she finds it difficult to open her eyes and speak nonsense, so she can only brace herself and say: "I went to the movies with classmates"

Mother, I won't be home for dinner, I will return later—" The few words were spoken hesitantly and with uncertainty

In the late afternoon, with not many customers around, the two sat by the window, spreading out their test papers to discuss. Le Yan's father, seeing his daughter's classmate had arrived, brought over some drinks. Le Yan introduced, "Dad, this is my classmate He Ruchu, she is from the zero class." Upon hearing this, Le Yan's father quickly said, "Oh, you are from the zero class! You are much more promising than my daughter; you will definitely be a candidate for Tsinghua or Peking University in the future." He gave a thumbs up and praised her repeatedly, then brought over a large plate of fruit salad.

How could you say that? One must speak with integrity! When have I ever failed to handle the matters you entrusted to me? Last time during evening self-study, you were late, and before the demon head went to the regular meeting, he happened to stop by the classroom. It was I who said you were unwell and suggested you come later, thus shielding you. Now you speak like this, no wonder people say 'the most poisonous is a woman's heart'!

After finishing the call, she rummaged through her bag looking for money. She didn't have a wallet; her pocket money was just stuffed in haphazardly, and she would forget about it as soon as she turned away. By the time she finally dug out a crumpled bill from the innermost layer, Zhong Yue had already paid for her. He grabbed her arm and said, "Let's go, everyone is still waiting."

She quickly turned around, widened her eyes and asked, "Do you have a program? Where are you going?" Upon hearing that it was for fun, she became lively.

He Ruchu has already become accustomed to the exaggerated admiration and praise from adults. Although he feels unworthy of such compliments, he can only accept them helplessly.

After much anticipation, Saturday finally arrived. The last class was English with Teacher Fan. She entered the classroom holding a large stack of exam papers, and after adjusting her curly hair, she said: "There will be no evening study session tonight, so I will take up some of your time to complete this set of exam papers." Ignoring the silent protests from the students, she distributed the exam papers. This exam would take another two hours.

Han Zhang was originally just trying to scare her, and at that moment, rubbing his wrist, he said: "Zhong Yue, you are quite ruthless, forgetting friends in the face of beauty. Look, look, it's all red—" and he extended his hand to show him.

Zhong Yue then said: "His death was meaningful. As a soldier, dying on the battlefield can be considered a fulfillment of one's aspirations."

He Ruchu was wandering aimlessly on the street, feeling bored and with nowhere in particular to go. Feeling hungry, she casually walked into a restaurant called "Yanyan Food City." Just as she settled into a corner, she heard someone call her: "He Ruchu!" She quickly turned around and saw her former classmate Le Yan, who seemed to be heading out with an exam paper in hand. She greeted her, saying: "What a coincidence, are you here to eat too?"

Han Zhang also felt a bit frustrated and nodded in agreement. Thus, several of them did not go home and directly took a car to the cinema. On the way, He Ruchu suddenly exclaimed: "Oh no—my mom is still waiting for me to come home for dinner, and I will definitely get scolded again if I go back." Just thinking about his mother's stern reprimands made his mood inevitably dampen

How could I, feeling listless, take out my pen and irritably glance around, noticing that no one expressed dissatisfaction with the teacher's blatant encroachment on the only bit of rest time we students had? I pondered gloomily, is this what is called a zero class? Able to remain unperturbed in any situation, gritting our teeth and enduring—though others may not be without complaints, most simply keep them to themselves, waiting for someone who dares to take the lead and voice their grievances, so they can follow suit. Yet, the people in the zero class all seem to have gone too far in their self-awareness. Able to remain unperturbed in any situation, gritting our teeth and enduring—though others may not be without complaints, most simply keep them to themselves, waiting for someone who dares to take the lead and voice their grievances, so they can follow suit. Yet, the people in the zero class all seem to have gone too far in their self-awareness.

She said she was with Han Zhang and the others. Only then did Father He feel relieved. He asked her if she had eaten, if she had money, and after giving her some advice, he hung up the phone. He said to Mother He: "The child studies every day, either attending classes or taking exams. It's rare for her to go out and have fun, so let her go. It's all about balancing work and rest!"

How ungrateful you are, rolling your eyes and saying: "So you extorted a meal of 'KFC' from me afterwards! Can't you sincerely help others? Look at Zhong Yue—he doesn't do that."

Zhong Yue remained silent, smiling apologetically. When the class bell rang, everyone returned to their seats

Le Yan excitedly said: "Who doesn't know 'Shanglin No. 1'? Even many people from No. 2 know his great name. At the sports meeting, he was quite the center of attention, wasn't he? They say he is talented in both literature and martial arts, standing out among his peers, and many girls like him. Let me tell you something, but you mustn't tell him—last time at the sports meeting, someone secretly took a photo of him, and it circulated among the girls."

Zhong Yue stood on the steps and surveyed the entire venue once more, feeling disappointed again. He could only nod slightly and decided to take the car back.

Han Zhang, seeing them chatting animatedly from a distance, also came over and picked up the test paper, asking, "What trouble are you encountering? If you have difficult questions or diagrams, come to me!" He Ruchu, feeling impatient, pushed him away, saying, "Go away, go away. I've never seen someone so thick-skinned as you, always talking and talking, but when it comes to serious matters, you keep making excuses."

As soon as Mother He heard it, she knew that her daughter was off somewhere again. In a calm voice, she said, "Why aren't you coming home for dinner again? What are you up to?" Father He was watching the news at that moment. Upon hearing it was his daughter's call, he quickly looked up, paying close attention, and said, "Since you're not coming home for dinner, ask her if she has any money on her."

Han Zhang not only felt no shame, but instead grinned and said, "How could Zhong Yue feel embarrassed? We are quite familiar with each other, aren't we?" As he spoke, he placed his hand on her shoulder, presenting a brotherly demeanor.

Several people bought tickets to enter the venue, and He Ru initially went to the restroom. Lin Danyun said she wanted to buy snacks and drinks, but Han Zhang found it troublesome and said she knew the way, refusing to accompany her. She grabbed Zhong Yue's hand and pleaded, "Zhong Yue, come with me, the cinema is crowded, and it feels chaotic with everyone pushing around—" Zhong Yue naturally had no way to refuse

Zhong Yue was extremely anxious, searching everywhere for He Ruchu. Upon seeing a long-haired figure, he rushed over, only to realize it was not her, and disappointment involuntarily showed on his face. Lin Danyun, panting, followed closely behind him and said, "Stop looking, they must have left already. Let's go back."

Zhong Yue sat up straight and explained: "Just now, Lin Danyun did not understand why Yamamoto Isoroku was able to successfully launch a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. I was just explaining it to her."

She didn't even know how the movie started. By the time the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred, she had finally managed to get into it. Bombs fell like raindrops, and everywhere was a scene of human tragedy. She covered her lips, her eyes reddening. Han Zhang exclaimed in delight, turned to glance at her, and whispered mockingly, "When did you become so sentimental?"

Han Zhang said nonchalantly, "What is there to be afraid of? It's not like we haven't been scolded before. You, me, and Lin Danyun have been scolded since we were young!" Lin Danyun also remarked that she was making a fuss over nothing, saying that being scolded is nothing new, not just once or twice. Thus, she had nothing more to say and could only shrug her shoulders in resignation

Father He, upon hearing this, threw down the remote control, stood up, and walked away, saying, "I am going upstairs to take a shower"

As soon as he jumped three feet high, he quickly jumped up, grabbed Zhong Yue's sleeve, and said: "Zhong Yue, Zhong Yue—help me chop off his two pig's trotters to feed the dogs!"

Leyan smiled and said, "This is my home." This food court is named after her. He Ruchu then remarked, "I didn't know your family owned a food court." Leyan smiled and replied, "You live far away, it's not easy for you to come here for a meal, so I will treat you." She stood up and urged the chef to hurry and prepare two dishes.

Le Yan exclaimed: "Zhong Yue, who doesn't know him! He's the tall and handsome one, isn't he?" He Ru Chu then said: "You know him, huh?"

He has always known that Zhong Yue is outstanding, but he did not expect him to be so popular among girls. Biting his lower lip, he said after a while: "I haven't heard of him having anything with girls---"

The vast square was left with only a few street vendors. Lin Danyun cautiously touched his finger, but immediately withdrew, saying: "Let's go, they might be home by now." Such a brief contact had already made her blush, her heart race, and her mouth dry.

Zhong Yue stood up, blocking Han Zhang, and said with a smile, "Alright, alright, it's time to stop fooling around, class is about to start." While smiling faintly, the grip on Han Zhang's wrist was quite firm.

Fortunately, there are not many intimate scenes; they flash by quickly. A few people secretly let out a sigh of relief, feeling as if a weight has been lifted, and then they appear to be watching again

He initially felt that the handsome male protagonist should not meet such a tragic end. Upon hearing Zhong Yue's profound evaluation, he felt even more ashamed of his own lack of insight. Seeing Lin Danyun laughing and chatting with him only deepened his gloom, and he pulled Han Zhang aside, saying: "Let's go out first"

She leaned back in her chair in frustration, the chair scraping against the floor, producing a harsh sound—"Exams, exams, exams! Just let me die from them!"—Since no one reacted, she could only mutter softly to vent her dissatisfaction. Her movements were so exaggerated that Zhong Yue, who was sitting behind her, paused his pen and looked up at her, but she, of course, remained completely oblivious.

Until after the exam, her complexion remained poor, still looking sulky. She took the books out of the desk one by one, slamming them heavily onto the table, then stuffing them forcefully into her backpack. Zhong Yue felt that those books must have a grudge against her. After a moment's thought, he patted her shoulder from behind and said, "He Ruchu, do you want to go out and relax a bit tonight?"

She frowned and glared, saying: "Take your pig's trotter away—" Han Zhang became even more spirited, standing up and saying: "Is it the pig's trotter? Let me show you the power of the pig's trotter—" With a sly grin, he extended his hand, pretending to choke her.

She did not protest against Han Zhang's light yet heavy move, "Finger Flicking Magic," unusually; she turned her back, staring at the exit in the corridor, remaining silent.

Han Zhang withdrew his gaze from the screen and noticed her in a daze, seemingly enchanted. He extended his middle finger and flicked her forehead, saying, "You look foolish, what are you staring at?" As he spoke, he turned back, raised an eyebrow, and playfully exclaimed, "What are you two lovebirds doing?" After saying this, he slapped his own forehead and clasped his hands, saying, "Just pretend I didn't see anything, go on, go on—"

There was a particularly tricky proof problem that she couldn't solve at the moment, so she said, "I'll take it back to show the person sitting behind me; he is very capable." Le Yan casually asked who it was. She replied, "His name is Zhong Yue; I don't know if you've heard of him."

She pinched his arm in embarrassment and anger: "Shut your crow's mouth! Will you die if you just watch the movie quietly?" The pinch made him scream like a slaughtered pig