Chapter 18

Chapter 18

This first-year level has two key classes, whose classrooms are located directly opposite each other.

Lu Nian joined Class 1. She had previewed the class roster online earlier, and almost half of the names were familiar.

Many students in the senior section of the affiliated school were promoted directly, with some, like Lu Nian, having started their journey from elementary school, climbing up the ladder year by year, hence they knew each other well, while students from other schools would take a bit more time to integrate.

A few students who were closer to Lu Nian before were also placed in the same class.

When Lu Nian entered the classroom, more than half of the students were already there, occupying seats freely as official arrangements would be made later. She glanced around but couldn't find Gu Yayan. Coincidentally, all the students she recognized in the class were boys. Thus, she decided to quietly find a seat and settle down.

"Would you like to sit here, classmate?" Seeing her looking for a seat, a boy enthusiastically got up to make room for her, "There's a spot here, it offers a good view of the blackboard."

He was a stranger, tall and dark-skinned, very friendly.

His enthusiasm was even more overwhelming than street vendors selling merchandise, only stopping short of grabbing her backpack and pulling her into the seat.

The new girl dressed simply but her beauty was undeniable, standing out in the crowd instantly. Probably the prettiest girl in the new class - they noticed her the moment she entered the classroom.

"The natural lighting is even better here at my seat," another boy stood up, quickly unburdening Lu Nian of her backpack, "Miss, would you like to sit here?"

"Ever heard of first come, first served?"

"Nonsense, she can sit wherever she pleases."

Surrounded by several tall boys speaking loudly, her head was spinning from the noise.

She was only outgoing with people she knew well, generally appearing quite introverted in public and seldom conversing with unfamiliar boys. Facing this chaos, she was at a loss for words, momentarily speechless.

"What are you guys doing? I saved a seat for her," Gu Yayan returned just in time from buying water, forcefully pushing the boys away and extracting Lu Nian from the crowd.

Drained, Lu Nian slumped onto the table, "The new classmates are really enthusiastic..."

Gu Yayan guided her to take a look, "Nian Nian, you've become much more beautiful after your illness. I almost didn't recognize you when you first walked in."

The youthful innocence she once had was fading, she had grown taller, slimmer, her waist now seemingly fragile to the grip. Her long absence from sunlight rendered her skin nearly translucent.

Her features were delicate and refined, except for a pair of clear, radiant eyes.

Consequently, her beauty became more ethereal, devoid of any worldly trace. It was a graceful and captivating beauty that commanded attention, fully embodying the visage of a young maiden now.

Lu Nian, however, was utterly unaware of her transformation. She sighed, "Being able to live healthily is good enough." She truly didn't care anymore about her appearance.

Gu Yayan: "?"

Lu Nian: "Just kidding."

Those intricate matters couldn't really be discussed with Gu Yayan, could they?

She gazed at the corner of the cerulean sky outside the window, lost in silent contemplation.

It's all in the past.

High school is different from middle school. For Lu Nian, it involves entirely new subjects, requiring more dedication. The pace at the affiliated school was fast, and before she knew it, an entire day would have passed.

Lu Nian paused her violin lessons for a while, but continued with her drawing classes, living her life in an orderly and systematic manner.

It seemed her run of bad luck had finally come to an end, and everything began to slowly return to the right track.

Zheng Miaoxuan is now in class two, directly opposite Lu Nian's class. She's the Chinese class representative, while Lu Nian is a regular Chinese class representative. Both classes share a Chinese teacher, so they still see each other quite frequently.

One day after school, Lu Nian and Zheng went to the office together to submit their composition books.

Zheng Miaoxuan seemed exceptionally excited that day, "Nian Nian, could you accompany me later?"

Lu Nian: "Sure."

Zheng Miaoxuan said mysteriously, "There's some good news."

Lu Nian smiled broadly, "What good news?"

Leading her along, Zheng Miaoxuan walked through the U-shaped corridor but remained tight-lipped.

That area was the senior students' teaching zone, a place Lu Nian seldom visited.

The senior students finished school a bit later, though the last period for this class seemed to be a self-study session with no teacher present.

A male student was coming out of the classroom.

He wasn't wearing the school jacket, just a plain black T-shirt paired with school trousers. Yet, his silhouette appeared tall and slender, characterized by a narrow waist and long legs.

The two young girls hid behind a pillar, Lu Nian whispered to her, "Is he the senior..."

"...you have..."

"...a crush on?"

Zheng Miaoxuan blinked, "You know this person too."

Lu Nian, "?"

A foreboding sense of unease began to slowly rise in her heart.

The boy had already heard the commotion in the corridor. As he turned his head towards the sound, a pair of eyes, indifferent and icy as glacier, met the sight.

Lu Nian was utterly stunned.

She never anticipated encountering Qin Si again under such circumstances.

It had been quite some time, and it wasn't that she hadn't thought of Qin Si. But due to her frailty from illness and her deliberate avoidance of information related to him, the shock of seeing him now was even greater than she had imagined.

Qin Si had changed significantly.

The young man had grown taller, now surpassing 1.8 meters. He wasn't traditionally handsome with bold features, but the amalgamation of his facial characteristics, especially up close, exuded an indescribable charm, complemented by his unique aura that accentuated his clear-cut and striking appearance even more.

He had a pair of pitch-black phoenix eyes, the ends of which tapered to a narrow curve. Initially seeming indifferent and heartless, when he lowered his eyes to look at someone, the slight curl of his lashes somehow gave others a deceptive impression of gentleness.

At the very least, Zheng Miaoxuan appeared utterly enamored.

Lu Nian knew, in reality, this person was anything but gentle, fundamentally different in essence. Since childhood, he had a knack for infuriating others with his words, being cold, heartless, and sharp-tongued—a real block of ice that could never be warmed.

She pretended to be blind to his presence, turning her head to flash Zheng Miaoxuan an encouraging smile, seemingly filled with a "you can do it" vibe.

"My brother and his friends are waiting for me; we have plans for tonight," she said, pointing downstairs, articulating each word clearly, "I should leave first."

She wasn't lying; Lu Yang and Zhao Tingyuan had indeed arranged to meet her tonight. Judging by the time, they should have already arrived.

Holding her books, Lu Nian prepared to leave. She walked past him, radiating an aloof and cold elegance, without sparing Qin Si another glance.

After all, hadn't he decided to sever all ties with her, returning everything and showing no concern for whether she lived or died?

When she was almost killed and lay comatose in the hospital for a long time, Qin Si remained unaware.

Despite the many years they knew each other, she figured if she died and a funeral was held, not to mention grieving, Qin Si would probably neither attend nor send a condolence gift.

The events of the last year felt like a dream, a haze that clouded her memory even now.

All she knew was that Qin Si didn't care about her well-being at all.

Lu Nian recognized that her feelings were completely irrational. She was, after all, a member of the Lu family. Qin Si had never been particularly fond of her to begin with. It was already good enough that he didn't despise her. How could she expect him to harbor any affection or concern for her?

The young girl felt discontented, her demeanor noticeably pouty.

In the past, she would express her displeasures with Qin Si openly.

Knowing Qin Si's personality and his lack of affection for her, whether she behaved well or poorly, he would always maintain that cold demeanor. Therefore, Lu Nian didn't bother hiding her true self in front of him.

But now, the changes in both of them were too great, and given the circumstances, coupled with the previous incident where he severed ties and returned her money, Lu Nian couldn't treat him as the Qin Si she knew before.

...At least for now, she hadn't fully adjusted her mindset.

"Nian Nian," Zheng Miaoxuan couldn't hold back and followed her out.

Regrettably, as Lu Nian strode past Qin Si with full momentum, the corridor seemed to have been recently mopped and was slippery. She nearly lost her footing and took a bad fall.

...This is the end. If she falls flat on her face in front of him, she might as well just die.

In the final moment, this was the absurd thought that dominated Lu Nian's mind.

The anticipated pain did not materialize.

A slender hand gripped her arm, effortlessly pulling her back to an upright position.

"Why do you care?" The words involuntarily spilled from her lips.

It was mostly irrational, yet carried a faint hint of underlying grievance.

Lu Nian felt that she should perhaps follow the script often depicted in dramas – where the jerk of an ex-boyfriend attempts to win back his former girlfriend, and she, portraying the ex-girlfriend, firmly shakes off his hand and vehemently tells him to "get lost".

But Qin Si was not her 'whatsoever' person, and he didn't even give her the chance to deliver that line or satisfyingly shake off his hand.

He released her much faster than she anticipated... just as before, as if avoiding lingering contact with her, who seemed to him like some grotesque creature.

Maintaining a distance from her, the young man's voice echoed from above, "Were you planning on cracking your head open?"

His pair of narrow, phoenix eyes seemed sharper than before, gazing at her indifferently, revealing no discernible emotion.

Lu Nian, "...", so you haven't changed at all, still capable of saying such things.

From the very first second Lu Nian appeared, the young man's attention had been entirely fixed on her.

On the day Lu Nian was discharged from the hospital, he only observed from a distance, aware that she had been discharged and was recovering well, but had not scrutinized her this closely.

She had changed significantly.

Only now she looked sulky, her petite face puffing up like a steamed bun, appearing exceptionally soft and tender.

He couldn't help but recall that day when she nestled in his arms, her cheek comfortably resting against his chest.

He remembered the impulsive words he whispered into her ear at that time, and the uncontrollable heat that crept up behind his ears.

...It was something he would absolutely never do.

Fortunately, Lu Nian was unaware that it was him, and he had no intention of letting her find out.

Lu Nian spoke defiantly, "I know you're still the same as before, taking pleasure in seeing me embarrass myself."

The young man lowered his eyes, remaining silent.

Suddenly, Lu Nian regained her composure, "Today was an accident. In the future, I won't appear to be a bother in your sight again."

The young girl's silhouette was delicate, walking away without any hesitation, without looking back.

She thought to herself with a hint of self-deprecation, it was enough that Qin Si hadn't turned out badly; it didn't necessarily mean she had to have a good relationship with him.

After all, interpersonal relationships are all about fate; some people just aren't destined to get along.

Zheng Miaoxuan stuttered, "Senior?" Holding the gift in her hand, she felt a rising unease, "Um, this is for you..."

The young man averted his gaze, his dark pupils devoid of any emotion, "Take it back, and don't come looking for me again."

His tone was cold, "Especially not with Lu Nian."

Zheng Miaoxuan, "...I, I thought you two were close."

Qin Si had already turned and walked away.

They could never be close.

Lu Nian could never offer what he desired, and he would never ask her for it in his lifetime.

Not long after Lu Nian had left, her phone vibrated in her pocket - a call from Lu Yang, "Nian Nian, didn't you say you wanted to find the guy who helped you? I invited him out today, you can meet him."

Lu Nian brushed off her despondency, feeling a surge of excitement, "Then I plan to treat him to a meal."

Lu Yang replied, "We have plans tonight! Have you forgotten?"

Lu Nian, "..."

Indeed, it was a directive from Lu Zhihong.

Hearing that Zhao Tingyuan's younger brother had come to Ancheng to attend high school, Lu Zhihong suggested setting a time for Lu Yang to bring her along to treat the Zhao siblings to a casual meal, letting the younger generation get acquainted.

Lu Zhihong seemed to have a very good impression of Zhao Tingyuan.

This kind of socialization among the offspring of wealthy families was quite normal. It was just that Lu Nian had been too introverted before. Now that she was older, such encounters were inevitable.

She initially wanted to refuse, but Lu Zhichong was very firm in his stance. Reluctantly, Lu Nian consoled herself with the thought that it was just a meal after all and begrudgingly agreed.

Zhao Tingyuan and Lu Yang were chatting under a tree, seeming to enjoy a pleasant conversation.

Lu Nian had no clue when they became acquainted, but their relationship appeared to be surprisingly good.

Seeing her approach, Lu Yang waved at her, calling out, "Nian Nian."

As Lu Nian drew closer, he gestured to his side and introduced, "Here, your life-saver."

The young man's face turned beet red as he greeted, "Hello."

A very ordinary boy; not particularly tall and with decent looks, but quite frail. He had a tendency to stutter when speaking, and his gaze seemed unfocused and detached.

Quite different from what she had envisioned.

Lu Nian felt somewhat disappointed.

Nothing was as she had expected.

"Nian Nian," Lu Yang knew her tendency to drift off and nudged her to bring her back to the moment.

Regaining her focus, Lu Nian sincerely said, "Thank you very much for your help earlier. I have been hospitalized and didn't have time to prepare a better gift. Today was a bit rushed and I didn't bring the thank-you gift with me. I'll deliver it to you another day."

"I... just helped out as anyone would," the young man said, his face reddening even further, "It's no big deal, really."

He looked at Lu Nian, modestly downplaying his actions, yet showed no signs of wanting to leave.

Lu Nian proposed, "When the holidays come and if you have the time and don't mind, could I treat you to a meal as a thank you? And I could give you your gift then?"

The young man's eyes lit up, and he hastily replied, "Yes, yes, I'll make time."

An opportunity to have a meal alone with such a beautiful girl, moreover, the young mistress of the Lu family; even if he had no time, he would not decline such an offer.

After the young man left, Zhao Tingyuan teased, "Ah, young girls. Thinking that their savior must be their Prince Charming, huh?"

Lu Yang shrugged and asked Lu Nian, "So, are you satisfied with this 'Prince Charming'?"

Lu Nian remained silent, "..."

Lu Yang commented firmly, "You're judging him by his looks, aren't you?"

He adamantly stated, "Nian Nian, when finding a boyfriend in the future, you absolutely cannot just consider appearance."

Turning to Zhao Tingyuan, he added, "Of course, that doesn't apply to you."

Zhao Tingyuan spread his hands and chuckled, "I'm honored."

Lu Nian chimed in, "...Stop teasing, both of you."

She just felt somewhat disheartened.

She murmured softly, "I'm not judging him."

She didn't necessarily think that the boy had to be strikingly handsome; it was alright if he wasn't. But there was this mystic feeling she harbored—a longing for the comfort of his embrace and his scent, a gentleness and warmth that brought tranquility to her heart.

It seemed like she hadn't fancied any boy in her lifetime, yet for some inexplicable reason, she believed she might hold a special affection for this one.

Lu Nian felt somewhat bewildered.

"It might be because you were too vulnerable at that time, which made your feelings somewhat skewed," Lu Yang speculated, "Now that you're well, it's unlikely that you'd fall for him."

"We have a reservation at Xidon tonight," Zhao Tingyuan diverted the topic, sensing Lu Yang's reluctance to continue this line of conversation. "Let's enjoy a good meal to celebrate Nian Nian's recovery and her admission into high school."

"We should also hold a welcome dinner for your younger brother," Lu Yang suggested.

"My brother is the same age as Nian Nian," Zhao Tingyuan noted, pausing briefly as if hesitating, but ultimately choosing not to elaborate further.

Lu Yang remarked, "Being big brothers isn't easy, but since he's your brother and resembles you, he must be easy to get along with."

A wry smile appeared on Zhao Tingyuan's face.

Lu Nian listened, her mind seemingly adrift.

The trio got into a car together. Aboard, Zhao Tingyuan answered a phone call, "Ya Yuan?"

"We'll be there soon..." he assured, "Really soon, please wait a bit longer."

It was unclear what was said on the other end.

Zhao Tingyuan advised, "Order whatever you'd like."

Lu Yang inquired, "Are they too hungry to wait any longer?"

"No, that's not it," Zhao Tingyuan replied, his face once again adorned with a bitter smile.

Lu Nian was lost in thought throughout the journey. Upon arriving at Xidon and alighting from the car, she suddenly remembered something upon seeing the signboard of a bookstore nearby, "I need to buy some supplementary materials which I had forgotten about. You guys go ahead first, I'll join you shortly after making the purchase."

She had completely forgotten about this task amidst the continuous setbacks she faced after school.

Lu Yang was somewhat reluctant to let her go alone, contemplating accompanying her. However, considering his role as the eldest and the host, it wouldn't be proper for both members of the Lu family to be absent. Eventually, he consented, "Be quick, we'll be in private dining room 1527. Someone at the entrance will guide you. Call me if there's any issue."

Private dining room number 1527, the door was slightly ajar.

Xidon was a high-end Western restaurant, adorned with opulent decorations. Inside the private dining room, famous paintings hung on the walls and a table set for four was meticulously arranged with fine dinnerware.

A young man was already inside the room, engrossed in his mobile phone, displaying a somewhat unrestrained posture as he sat.

"Hello," Lu Yang greeted, offering a warm smile.

The young man glanced up at him, his gaze sweeping distractedly across Lu Yang's face.

The young man had remarkably good-looking features. Despite his somewhat frail appearance, he possessed a radiant beauty characterized by rosy lips and pearly whites, with exceptionally beautiful facial features that could even be described as flamboyantly radiant.

However, the rebellious expression intertwined within those delicate features was equally unforgettable.

"From the Lu family?" he inquired, "Lu Zhichong's son?"

Struggling to maintain a smile and enduring the blunt reference to Lu Zhichong, Lu Yang replied, "Not exactly. Actually, Uncle Zhichong is a distant relative of my grandfather's..." He went on to elucidate the far-removed familial ties between him and Lu Zhichong.

The young man listened with an impassive face, "Then why are you dining with us?"

The smile on Lu Yang's face froze.

"Ya Yuan." Zhao Tingyuan raised his voice slightly.

The young man ceased speaking, reverting to idly browsing his phone, showing no signs of intending to apologize.

"I'm sorry," Zhao Tingyuan said to Lu Yang in a low voice.

He sent Lu Yang a message on WeChat, "Ya Yuan is a good kid, but he's been physically frail since childhood which has affected his temperament. I will talk to him when we get back. For now, allow me to apologize on his behalf."

Lu Yang found it difficult to say anything further, as the atmosphere in the private room abruptly turned icy.

Lu Nian finally purchased the supplementary materials she needed. The waitress escorted her all the way up and left her at the door of the private dining room.

She cautiously pushed the door ajar, peeking her head in to steal a glance inside.

Coincidentally, the young man was sitting right by the door, and their eyes met directly.

The author has something to say:

Si Si, if you remain this passive, you might just die of jealousy, honestly, have no hopes for you.

I really want to see the tamed version of Si Si in the future, letting Nian Nian compel him to do all the things he is too embarrassed to do, haha.

Mini Theatre:

Nian Nian: Si Si, I want to balabalabala

Si Si: ...No.

Nian Nian (throwing herself into his arms, acting coquettishly): Si Si is the best, please agree!!! (rubbing against him enthusiastically)

Si Si: (blushing furiously, completely unprincipled)

Nian Nian: (I knew he's actually quite susceptible to this, even though he won't admit it x)