Chapter 61 The Evolution of a Class Flower

Chapter 61 The Evolution of a Class Flower

The summer in Shangdong Province was particularly hot.

The white poplars on campus were at their lushest, and Ning Song participated in shooting training, spending most of his time in the shooting range.

His shooting skills improved dramatically, and Coach Zhou had already started taking him to some small competitions. He displayed astonishing talent and firmly held the top spot on their school team.

His achievements in shooting provided Ning Song with great comfort, helping him forget his emotional troubles.

He felt very fulfilled.

Indeed, he was better suited to focusing wholeheartedly on his career!

In late April, he faced a major exam. While his Chinese score was slightly lower, he excelled in all other subjects, including English. His strongest subject was science, where he stood out, placing third overall in the entire school, shocking many people.

With these outstanding results, he successfully advanced to the Red Honor Board. In May, when the results came out, he moved into a new dormitory with the help of Qiao Qiao and Fan Duoduo by the end of the month.

The new dormitory had a three-bedroom, one-living room layout, and his new roommates were Qiao Qiao and Fan Duoduo.

Everything felt vibrant and thriving again.

However, Ning Song had a small concern.

For some reason, whether it was due to growing up or something else, Ning Song found himself becoming more attractive day by day!

If he could notice his own good looks, others naturally saw it even clearer.

Within half a month, he received two love letters.

So he wore black-rimmed glasses and let his hair grow freely for over a month.

Too much attention wasn't a good thing, and he knew this well.

Fortunately, summer vacation was approaching.

Shen Lingsi was about to graduate and invited everyone from the student council to dinner on the weekend. As a member, Ning Song naturally attended.

Surprisingly, his interactions with Shen Lingsi were fine. Only the first few days after confessing were a bit awkward. Shen Lingsi continued to assign him work as usual, and within a week, they returned to their previous relationship.

They rarely spent time alone together anymore, and when they did eat together, it was always with others.

The seniors in Grade Three were graduating, and like everyone else, Ning Song felt a sense of sadness at the parting. Eventually, he even had a drink.

After just one cup, Shen Lingsi stopped him and poured him some juice before moving to another table.

Ning Song sat in his chair, following Shen Lingsi's back with his gaze.

Shen Lingsi looked more mature, more like Teacher Liu.

If only Shen Lingsi didn't like him, that would be wonderful.

Then he could maintain a close senior-junior relationship with Shen Lingsi for life, even gathering occasionally after graduation.

Shen Lingsi was very popular, and everyone vied to toast him. Despite his good tolerance, Shen Lingsi ended up sitting red-faced in his seat.

Shen Lingsi kept staring at him, lost in thought.

Ning Song went out to use the restroom and grabbed a bottle of drink, taking a couple of sips outside the restaurant.

He still had some lingering fears, worried that Shen Lingsi might say something if he drank too much.

"Senior."

Turning around, he saw Zhao Chuan from the Cultural and Entertainment Department.

"Why did you come out?" he asked with a smile.

Zhao Chuan was a junior from Grade One. They met during the Spring Festival and got along well since they were both newcomers.

Zhao Chuan had also had a bit to drink. With his typical northern appearance, he looked honest and shy, now stammering and blushing even more.

Suddenly, Ning Song heard a sneer behind him. Turning around, he saw Sheng Yan smoking and looking at him.

"This kid is going to confess to you, can't you tell?"

Hearing this, Zhao Chuan turned bright red. "No... no."

He looked at Sheng Yan, blushing and hurriedly returned to the restaurant.

Ning Song was taken aback, feeling a bit embarrassed but greeted Sheng Yan, "Brother Yan."

Seeing Ning Song look at him, Sheng Yan flicked away his cigarette, stomped it out, and put his hands in his pockets, looking somewhat awkwardly proud.

Sheng Yan had dyed his hair back to black, making him seem unfamiliar, and his entire demeanor seemed different.

"I'm eating here too," Sheng Yan said.

Ning Song asked, "With Brother Yuan?"

Sheng Yan nodded.

Li Qingyuan had just bought cigarettes from a nearby supermarket and was surprised to see Ning Song.

Ning Song greeted him, "Brother Yuan."

Li Qingyuan felt that this "Brother Yuan" sounded somewhat distant.

The school wasn't large, yet not small either. Despite their classes being next to each other, they rarely saw each other recently, even in the cafeteria, because Sheng Yan now mostly ate on Food Street instead of in the dining hall.

He understood why Sheng Yan was avoiding Ning Song. After all, it's rare for friends to remain friends after one confesses. Sheng Yan really liked Ning Song, and because of that genuine affection, they couldn't remain just friends. He felt okay about Ning Song; he could understand why Ning Song might reject Sheng Yan, given that the other suitor wasn't any less impressive than Sheng Yan.

According to Sheng Yan, Ning Song had rejected him sincerely, saying he preferred Pu Yu. But it seemed they hadn't ended up together.

Their not being together must have something to do with Sheng Yan. Li Qingyuan thought Ning Song had done his best in the situation.

Otherwise, watching them date would likely drive Sheng Yan to transfer schools; he wasn't that magnanimous.

He chatted with Ning Song briefly and heard someone calling Ning Song from inside the restaurant, so he asked, "Having a gathering?"

"Yeah, the seniors are graduating, so we're having a meal together," Ning Song replied. "I'll go in now."

Li Qingyuan smiled. "Okay."

Watching Ning Song enter, he turned to see Sheng Yan still staring blankly at Ning Song, all his coolness gone, looking utterly dejected. He said, "Stop staring, let's go."

Sheng Yan lit another cigarette. Li Qingyuan remarked, "He's changed quite a bit, hasn't he? Has he grown taller?"

That comment evoked a sense of melancholy, as if a century had passed. Ning Song had indeed changed significantly—taller, wearing thick black-rimmed glasses, looking somewhat rigid and lacking the former vivacity, which made him feel uneasy.

Feeling responsible for this change.

Ning Song wasn't feeling great today either.

He managed to avoid Shen Lingsi but couldn't evade Zhao Chuan. On the way back, Zhao Chuan confessed to him.

This was already the third confession he'd received this month!

He wondered if he wasn't dressing dowdy enough.

In the past, when he watched TV, he thought the heroines who tried to look unattractive were not doing a good job, since despite the script repeatedly calling them ugly, they still looked beautiful. Now he understood that truly attractive people remained attractive no matter what, unless they used special effects makeup.

But this was the best he could do; he couldn't pretend to be a bumbling idiot with braces.

It was still early, and the gathering had delayed his study schedule, so he decided to return to the classroom to catch up.

Entering the classroom, he found Pu Yu there.

Ning Song reached his seat and saw a blue envelope on top of his stack of books.

Without looking, he stuffed the blue love letter into his desk drawer and started reading.

Suddenly hearing some movement, he turned to see Pu Yu leaving with his bag.

The next day, Friday, was the last day of the president's campaign week. When he arrived at the student council office, he saw Pu Yu in a meeting.

Pu Yu was running for a position in the student council and often visited the office. The election process was very "political," requiring candidates to form their own teams and compete during the campaign period. Pu Yu hadn't recruited him into his team, but he still had to interact frequently with Pu Yu's team due to his role as the president's assistant, which had become more demanding as Shen Lingsi gradually stepped down.

He encountered a new Pu Yu—serious, concise yet authoritative, decisive, and efficient. His team respected him greatly, with almost no one daring to challenge him. In contrast, Huang Siyu, a strong contender from the second year, didn't have such unity within his team, despite having many experienced student council members.

Pu Yu was like a divine intervention, unbeatable by ordinary means. Life is unfair, and Pu Yu was a perfect candidate, capable of achieving anything he desired.

Sometimes he would visit their campaign office, where Pu Yu, amidst piles of documents, would look up at him, his sleeves rolled up, shirt loose, slightly weary. This refined yet powerful Pu Yu was unfamiliar to him.

He felt Pu Yu was taking some of the admirable qualities he admired in Shen Lingsi.

Mature, authoritative, and busy.

Shen Lingsi was most shocked by Pu Yu's candidacy for student council president.

He had initially lured Ning Song into the student council for his own benefit, only to find himself outmaneuvered by Pu Yu.

Facing this situation right before graduation left him feeling frustrated!

Huang Siyu had worked with him for a long time, so he naturally supported Huang Siyu. Before leaving school, he acted as a strategist within Huang Siyu's team, making the competition between the two groups lively.

The new student council president needed to be determined before the September opening, and the campaign began in June. Their school emphasized fostering students' awareness of rights, making the campaign quite vibrant. Next week was the election day, with each person getting one vote. Ning Song also received his ballot.

Putting the ballot in his pocket, he prepared to leave, when Pu Yu suddenly approached him.

Ning Song was surprised, as Pu Yu usually avoided him except during class times.

Adjusting his oversized glasses, he asked Pu Yu, "Anything you need?"

Pu Yu wouldn't approach him without reason.

Pu Yu said, "Yes."

Looking at Ning Song, he added, "Write my name on your ballot; I want to keep it."

Ning Song was taken aback, his heart racing. He found Pu Yu's current demeanor commanding and mature, with his short hair revealing sharp eyebrows.

Ning Song responded, "I was going to vote for you anyway."

Pu Yu asked an odd question, "Your glasses don't fit well?"

"Huh?"

Pu Yu noted, "They're pressing red marks on your nose."

Ning Song smiled, saying, "The glasses are a bit heavy."

His glasses were large, with thick frames, making them uncomfortable to wear.

Seeing his smile, Pu Yu quickly looked away and walked off.

He had grown taller, and Pu Yu had grown taller too, striding ahead with long legs, leaving him behind.

He watched Pu Yu walk away.

On the weekend, the area outside the school was filled with cars. As soon as he stepped out of the school gate, Ning Song spotted Sheng Yan and Li Qingyuan. Although Sheng Yan had dyed his hair back to black, his style remained distinctive—a dark blue T-shirt standing out among the predominantly black, white, and gray attire of the boys.

It was difficult for him to hail a cab right at the school gate, so he usually walked a kilometer to a nearby intersection.

The golden sunset of midsummer bathed Ning Song as he carried his backpack. After leaving the crowd, he removed his glasses, rubbed his reddened nose bridge, and felt two small indentations.

Li Qingyuan called out from the crowd, "Ah Yan, let's go."

Sheng Yan stood in the sunset, frowning at the tall and slender Ning Song, and at Pu Yu, who sat in the car that slowly followed behind Ning Song.

Pu Yu had switched to a rather inconspicuous Audi.

Pu Yu was running for the student council president, and Sheng Yan knew about it.

Ning Song wasn't with Pu Yu, and he understood there were reasons for this, but he wasn't magnanimous enough to tell Ning Song, "Be together, don't worry about me."

However, he began comparing himself to Pu Yu frequently, wondering where he fell short.

Eventually, he reached a disheartening conclusion: he didn't think he lost much to Pu Yu; they were just different types, and Ning Song preferred Pu Yu's type.

And that was something he couldn't change.

He heard that great love means seeing the other person happy, regardless of oneself.

But he thought he might still be too selfish because he still felt angry when he saw them.

With a sullen face, he got into the car, feeling both jealous and envious, saying, "Sticky as ever, huh?"

Pu Yu, sitting in the car, instructed the new driver to drive slowly until he saw Ning Song get into another car, then had the driver follow.

Recently, he heard Qin Yi had returned from abroad, which made him uneasy.

Seeing Ning Song heading towards his house lifted Pu Yu's spirits considerably.

Pu Yu certainly hadn't given up.

For him, the current situation was actually better than before. Previously, he had to constantly worry about Shen Lingsi and Sheng Yan. He could accept Ning Song not liking him or being with him, but if Ning Song was taken by someone else, he would be consumed by jealousy.

Now, he felt relieved.

Because he knew Ning Song wouldn't secretly date anyone else. He understood Ning Song well—Ning Song was very compassionate and must feel guilty about the situation.

In fact, Ning Song was blameless in this matter; he was the true victim. But Pu Yu selfishly wanted him to hold onto that guilt because he believed Ning Song cared more about him now.

He wasn't in a rush anyway. It was only one more year left of high school. After graduation, Sheng Yan would likely go somewhere else, and they wouldn't be at the same school anymore. As for him, he had a natural advantage—Ning Song's parents were close to his family, so Ning Song wouldn't escape.

He deliberately had the driver circle around the neighborhood before returning home. When he arrived, Ning Song was playing soccer with Pu Ying in the yard.

He walked through the yard, enjoying Ning Song's gaze on him.

Once upstairs, he stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the lush courtyard of the Pu residence. The summer evening breeze carried the scent of blooming flowers. Ning Song, without his glasses, held his waist and laughed as he watched Pu Ying, his beauty almost dazzling in the deepening twilight.

Pu Yu found new inspiration for his love letters.

His desk was adorned with envelopes of various colors and patterns, along with differently patterned letter paper.

Sitting cross-legged, he began writing anew.

He thought he had become so understanding that doing this was forgivable. He needed an outlet for his intense feelings.

After all, Ning Song never read these love letters.

His letters were written elegantly, like a diary or a report. They detailed what he did each day, what reminded him of Ning Song, and occasionally, dreams he had about him. Even if the dreams were intense, he wrote them with restraint, imagining someday Ning Song might read them. He didn't want to come across as overly sentimental, so he always toned down his emotions.

Sometimes, he felt aggrieved and resentful, saying things like, "Even with all these love letters, you can't compare to a private concert, since singing is more appealing than talking."

Ning Song played soccer with Pu Ying for a while. As night fell and it was time for dinner, he returned to his room.

The second floor was quiet.

Before taking a shower, he checked the love letter he received on his desk that day.

The letter had a faint minty fragrance, unique and subtle yet long-lasting. He had only ever smelled it on Pu Yu.

He had never seen anyone write love letters like this, but it matched Pu Yu's personality. Reading his words, he could feel Pu Yu's presence.

After reading, Ning Song took a shower. He combed his hair back, revealing his entire face. His chin had rounded out, and his lips were very red, making Qiao Qiao often suspect he used something. His double eyelids were more pronounced, and his eyes sparkled due to his youth. The only thing less attractive about him was probably his hairstyle—his hair was a bit long and unkempt, giving him a slightly rustic look. With his hair combed back, his increasingly striking features had a flushed, steamy redness. His chest was well-proportioned, with a thin, defined outline. In the spring, cherry blossoms were bright red, and his narrow, slim waist added to his beauty. He felt he was indeed handsome, but not as extravagantly praised in Pu Yu's love letters.

He felt himself sinking into such a passionate love, his heart trembling every time he saw Pu Yu.

He never imagined that rejecting someone he liked would lead to such confusion and uncertainty, leaving him completely at a loss.