PARTIE 7

Until that afternoon, we were in history class when suddenly a girl stood outside the classroom and told the teacher that she was looking for Qingnuan, saying that Qingnuan's mother was waiting in the reception office

I also took my seat and turned to Chu Lu, asking, "What exactly is wrong with you? If I made a mistake, can't I just apologize? Also, did you see my text message just now?"

But that girl suddenly grabbed me and walked over there, saying: "Come here first, I have something to discuss with you, you'll know once you come over."

Mother walked in, put down the water, and said: "Focus on your homework, studying is the most important thing right now! You are already in the second year of high school!" After saying that, she went out.

Because I feel that I am about to give up, I realized for the first time that this brother is very important to me

Indeed, there is nothing much going on. I simply took Chu Lu's hand in front of Xiaomi, smiled at her, and said: "Xiaomi, we are finally going to be together!"

Qing Nuan! Juan Li and Chu Lu called me in unison.

After this was said, Chu Lu and Xiao Mi both stood frozen in front of me

I can hardly imagine how a scenario that only occurs in television and movies could actually happen to me. Could there really be such a girl? Is there truly a girl like Xiaomi who enjoys seeking revenge? Does Xiaomi still have these friends who can back her up? Yet, that world is so terrifying; I cannot fathom how my pure and untainted youth has become somewhat dim on this day

In fact, Xiaomi is no longer the innocent Xiaomi she once was; the past two years of high school life have led her into a world that is completely different from mine, a world I have never encountered before. Of course, by the time I became aware of this, I had already paid the price.

Not only is there a share of credit, but it is simply indispensable!

Because of that shout from Chulu, the teacher specifically called me to the piano room, insisting that I play a piece for him to listen to

Chu Lu glanced at me without saying a word, and Xiao Mi sarcastically remarked, "Who do you think you are? Who are you shouting at here?"

I always feel lethargic, whether at school or after school, even when sitting in the classroom. The once talkative me suddenly finds no interest in conversations with classmates, as if I have suddenly lost interest in everything.

Chu Lu glanced at me, then lowered her eyelids and said softly, "It's nothing, nothing at all, you don't need to worry."

I ran away with a smile and said, "It is said that I am not acting!"

Zhai Yang's eyes suddenly turned red, and he trembled his lips, unable to speak. My fingerprint was thus imprinted on his face, while the classmates passing by stood there in shock, witnessing how I, who once pretended to be foolishly in love with Zhai Yang, turned my back on him.

I said: "It's getting cold, will it be my turn to wear my gloves this year?"

Chu Lu scratched his head, smiled, and suddenly his phone rang

"Chulu! I really can't hold it in any longer. If I keep enduring, it won't be me who is warm-hearted anymore. What exactly have I done to offend you? Just say it! Don't sulk like a girl!"

I finally understand that we have all grown up, and the grown-up versions of ourselves continue to grow in different directions. Later, when I saw Xiaomi again, I couldn't help but notice her delicate figure and relatively beautiful face, but why did such a heart emerge from her?

Isn't it because some people are afraid of being lonely?" Chu Lu said softly

Upon reaching the school gate, she pointed to the left side of the wall gate and said, "There."

However, after a moment of shock, Xiaomi immediately ran away. Will her anger come to an end just like that? I do not know, but she is the first person, apart from me and Chulu, to know this news, which can be considered my best response to her

Zhai Yang was still taken away by Cai Liang while speaking

When the teacher announced this matter in class, Chu Lu immediately took the floor and said: "The first place undoubtedly belongs to Qing Nuan!"

That day I squatted until Chu Lu found me, and then took me to the school hospital

I stuck out my tongue at Chu Lu and did not bring up the topic again

Cai Liang said that I have lost my soul

Chu Lu nodded happily in agreement

However, I cannot simply let the matter concerning Xiaomi go; I must provide her with an answer

"Are you here?" One of the girls approached me, while the others surrounded me in the center.

The moment the message was sent, my hand trembled slightly; I had no idea what kind of reply Chu Lu would give me. Throughout the journey, I kept thinking, but the one thing I did not anticipate was that he would not reply.

I gave his head a light tap and said, "Useless, how can someone like this accomplish great things?"

To the left, there is a small alley; my mother has no reason to be there. I feel that something is amiss, so I stop in my tracks, wanting to clarify.

Juan Li took my hand and said, "Let's go for a walk!"

The rumors about Chu Lu and me gradually subsided during the second semester of our sophomore year due to our indifference, but they transformed into a passionate love triangle because of Xiaomi's relentless pursuit of Chu Lu

I handed my phone to Chu Lu and said, "Did I not also give you gloves? Why aren't you wearing them?"

Subsequently, we did not speak of this matter again

She really led me into that alley. By the time I arrived, there were already three girls standing there, apparently waiting for me

This year's project for the school's annual cultural and artistic competition is unexpectedly the piano

Cai Liang saw all of this at the door, she will surely be furious with me

I certainly will not let such a response from Chu Lu go unchallenged, as there is clearly something going on; why not clarify it clearly

Chu Lu no longer had the mind to pay attention to Xiao Mi. I felt his palm sweating, so I released his hand and said: "It seems that summer has truly arrived; you look quite hot!"

Chulu has started coming to my house to do homework again. Sometimes he will have dinner at my place, and my mother always looks at Chulu and says, "How did you suddenly grow so tall? Is there enough food?"

This statement certainly carries subjective factors from Chulu, however, my piano playing is well-known in the community, and although I have not yet reached the tenth level at an amateur level, in Chulu's eyes, I have already attained the level of a tenth grader

Chu Lu asked me what was going on, and I looked at him, unsure of how to respond. In the end, I said: "It was me who crashed! But it was a trap designed by someone else."

I stormed up to Chu Lu, who was trying on a pair of gloves in his hands. Xiaomi cheerfully said, "They look really nice! Brother Chu Lu, my taste is quite good, isn't it?"

That morning, on the way to school, I suddenly felt a distinct chill

It is truly strange, why would my mother come to find me at this time? If there is something, she could just call me, and besides, I am currently in class. Even if my mother came, she would wait until I finish class.

Although everyone is enthusiastically discussing this matter, I still follow my own path. I only know that Chu Lu is the person who can make me the happiest.

Zhai Yang glared at Chu Lu and said: "Even if she falls, you don't need to help her! Don't think you can keep taking one after another! You just took Qing Nuan away, and now you come to help Juan Li, what do you think you are?"

"Who are you?" I felt a bit scared, and my voice trembled slightly as I spoke

Xiaomi had not yet spoken when Chu Lu shot her a glare and said to Xiaomi, "This is none of your business, go do what you need to do!" After saying this, he took off the gloves from his hands and shoved them into Xiaomi's hands, then sat down in his seat and fell silent.

I feel as though I have lost my soul, yet I am completely unaware of where it has gone

Zhai Yang may never have imagined that one day I would treat him this way, after all, he was once the irreplaceable prince in my heart. Yes, he has always been a prince, only now he has become someone else's prince

In fact, some matters may have had answers long ago

Chu Lu glanced at me as he stood by the side, but without saying anything, he turned his head away again

I anxiously followed the girl out of the classroom

Whether to receive a medal or not is of little significance, as understanding a person is far more important

I cannot let Chu Lu and I miss each other like this, missing out on a brother for a lifetime, and we will both feel regret

Upon reaching the gatehouse at the school entrance, the girl suddenly said: "Not in the gatehouse, but outside the school gate"

I have decided to be a little kinder to Chu Lu, even kinder than before

I sent a text message to Chu Lu

I have always been someone who does not easily worry, especially about my own matters. If it were Chu Lu participating in a competition, perhaps I would be concerned, but this time there is an indescribable sense of unease

Chu Lu looked at me, unsure of what I was going to do. I made a face at him and said it was nothing.

As soon as I heard it, an inexplicable anger spread throughout my body. I was not angry at Zhai Yang, but rather at Zhai Yang's attitude towards Chu Lu. He had no right to speak of Chu Lu in such a manner

As for how Chulu later handled this matter, I am not very clear. However, I finally understand that Chulu is very important to me. In my moments of pain and helplessness, what I think of is Chulu, his warm smile, and the way he calls me "little ghost girl." Moreover, I have never thought of giving up on Chulu because of this. Without Chulu, I believe I would feel more pain than losing my left arm.

I have come to realize that this is a scam, but in order to understand what kind of scam it is, I have decided to go with her to take a look.

I looked at him, somewhat perplexed, and said: "With such grades, you still dare to choose the humanities? You truly have no regard for your future."

I casually played a few notes, and the teacher clapped to bring me to a stop

"What do you think you are? Who do you think you are lecturing? Chu Lu is open and honest, a hundred times better than you, this hypocrite!" I shouted at Zhai Yang

I stepped forward, raised my hand, and delivered a slap directly to Zhai Yang's face

Chu Lu hurried to help, but was pulled away by Zhai Yang, who was following behind Juan Li. Juan Li, already flustered, fell to the ground from the impact.

I reached out and gave him a punch, then burst into laughter

Chu Lu has been silently behind me, so silent that it seems to have vanished

Under my surveillance, Chu Lu has been largely ignoring Xiaomi. Now, Xiaomi harbors a deep resentment towards me, but I do not care. I find some joy in watching Xiaomi gnash her teeth at me as if I were her enemy. Let Xiaomi hate me alone; I will continue to live my life well.

Chu Lu thought for a moment and quietly said, "Then tell me, are you also secretly in love with me?"

Chu Lu reached out and tapped my forehead, saying: "Dare to make a joke at my expense!"

The girl remained silent, merely tossing her head towards the girl beside her, and then I endured an unprecedented beating. In the end, a girl forcefully twisted my left arm, causing me such pain that I nearly fainted. When she finally stopped, I realized that my left arm was dislocated.

Every girl possesses elements of masculinity in her character, and it is this element that fosters attraction and mutual protection between girls and boys. If the boy's temperament is similar to the innate qualities of the girl, then their attraction will result in a rare bond akin to that of brothers, such as the relationship between Chu Lu and myself. Conversely, if the boy's temperament embodies qualities that the girl lacks, yet yearns for, then their attraction will culminate in a romantic relationship, like that between Zhai Yang and myself

After they finished, they clapped their hands and said nonchalantly: "Don't blame us, blame only yourself for taking Xiaomi's things! Remember this in the future, do not be so ungracious, otherwise, I do not know what else might happen!" Having said that, they turned and left.

I suddenly remembered the purpose for which I had chased after Chu Lu. I did not leave with Juan Li. Turning around, I said to Chu Lu: "What exactly is going on? What exactly do you want?"

I have not answered yet, hurry back to your seat, as mother is standing outside the door holding two cups of water

In a moment, there is an overwhelming sense of sorrow. Regret, regret for many things, including the act of growing up. If I were still so young, Chu Lu would still be with me like a brother, and no one would speculate about anything. If I could return to the beginning, I would earnestly tell Zhai Yang that my feelings are genuine, truly genuine. Although the final resting place of the gardenia is to fall into the soil, its initial fragrance is a beautiful memory. Even though it ultimately must accompany the earth, the scent it once had truly existed. Although the final resting place of the gardenia is to fall into the soil, its initial fragrance is a beautiful memory. Even though it ultimately must accompany the earth, the scent it once had truly existed.

I find it quite strange, has Chu Lu suddenly grown this tall? It seems like it has always been this way. However, upon closer reflection, it appears that it is not the case. Back then, my height was on par with Chu Lu's, but with this turn, I now fall a head's length shorter than him

However, I always have a vague sense of worry, feeling that this matter has been somewhat too smooth for me.

Summer has arrived, and the climate has become quite irritating

After guessing all the way, I was already somewhat angry by the time I arrived at the classroom. Moreover, as soon as I entered, I saw Chu Lu happily chatting and laughing with Xiao Mi, which made the frustration I had been holding in suddenly flare up.

I truly admire his ability to persevere for such a long time

When Chulu stood in front of me at that moment, I understood even more clearly that he liked me. Perhaps he had liked me all these years. Only he would always want to know where I was, what was happening, and how I was at that moment. Only he would come to find me.

Chu Lu was very pleased with this, saying that if he won the championship, he would definitely thank him properly, as he had contributed to the recommendation.

However, after that, the rumors that had originally been hidden in the school began to emerge openly, all because of Zhai Yang's remark, which stated that everyone in the school, except for me, knew that I liked Chu Lu

Thus, the reconciliation with Chu Lu was achieved

Chu Lu glanced at Xiaomi's message and said, "You don't understand; some things are meant to be kept as treasures"

This day is the day before the finals

I roughly understand that Xiaomi must have been rejected by Chulu, and thus vented her anger on me. I suddenly feel a bit sorry for her.

The performance in the humanities subjects of Chu Lu is truly concerning; history is somewhat acceptable, but geography is simply incomprehensible. Moreover, there are always recurring problems in other subjects that remain unresolved.

Suddenly recalled the Christmas gift given to Chu Lu last year

I observed the sweet expression on his face, leaned closer to him, and quietly asked, "Are you secretly in love with me?"

However, I have no intention of apologizing. On the contrary, I pointed at Chu Lu and said to Zhai Yang: "You apologize to him! Hurry up!"

I tried to remain calm and said, "Can we have a good conversation?"

Of course, I was unable to participate in the finals later on. Initially, I intended to go on stage with only my right hand, but upon reflection, it seemed too ostentatious, so I ultimately withdrew from the competition

Zhai Yang was pulled back a step by Cai Liang, and suddenly erupted, saying to me: "You idiot! Everyone in the school knows you like Chu Lu except for you. Do you still think that by liking me and being with me, you are not hurting me? Do you understand? You are the least qualified person to treat me this way!"

Chu Lu Station stands behind me, saying not a word, and gently pats my shoulder.

The competition went smoothly all the way; however, if it were not for this match, I might have thought that I was the only one in the entire school who played the piano well, as there were far more competitors than I had imagined

However, from that moment on, I became happy again, chatting and laughing with Chu Lu on the way to and from school, running all the way, and the days passed swiftly

Zhai Yang finally spoke a sentence after half a day: "I understand!"

I looked at Chu Lu in surprise, not expecting that he could actually guess it

However, from the preliminary round to the semi-finals and then to the finals, everything went relatively smoothly

Is it Xiaomi? Chu Lu asked

That day after school, I specifically invited Xiaomi to walk together

I always feel a sense of blockage in my heart, eager to find an outlet, yet unable to discover a suitable way to vent my emotions

I crouched there in pain, not crying, yet my heart trembled in fear

My summary of this matter is as follows

Has something important happened at home

In the words of Chu Lu, this character I have developed over the years owes part of its credit to him

In fact, Xiaomi can also play the piano, but I do not know to what extent. It was quite a long time ago, probably during elementary school, when Xiaomi, out of anger, claimed that she could play the piano because Chu Lu was envious of my ability. Perhaps Chu Lu has forgotten about it!

Chu Lu gritted his teeth, suddenly smiled slightly, and said: "You little ghost, you look really ugly when you cry!"

As Chu Lu stepped out, he happened to collide with Juan Li, causing her to stumble.

I cannot help but think of the passage of time, and as I reflect, I find myself smiling. At my age, I still cannot fully grasp the meaning of those four characters.

I became even more curious and followed along

I saw him get up and go out, so I followed him. No matter what, I cannot postpone this issue until tomorrow. I feel like I am suffocating; I might not even make it to tomorrow.

Having persisted for so long, it seems there is no hope for him to send a proactive message of reconciliation, so I have no choice but to take the initiative myself

I took it without a word, and upon looking, I saw it was from Xiaomi. From the text, I could tell she was speaking in a spoiled tone. She said: "Brother Chulu, I put the gloves in your drawer, remember to wear them tomorrow!"

It is already quite cold.

Cai Liang walked over, grabbed Zhai Yang's arm, and said: "Let's go!"

After listening to Zhai Yang's words, my eyes blinked rapidly, and then liquid began to overflow.

Chu Lu frowned, stood up, and walked out, saying to me: "Don't bother me!"

Chu Lu sighed and said, "It's my fault! I should have spoken to her properly; if I had communicated well, it wouldn't have turned out this way"