Chapter 26 Wearing Contact Lenses for the First Time

Chapter 26: Wearing Contact Lenses for the First Time

Meng Yang stood with his hands behind his back, head lowered in a show of guilt while the grade director berated him.

"You were supposed to be taking the exam on the first floor—what were you doing wandering around on the third floor? If it weren’t for you, would Lu Guifan’s glasses have broken?"

Meng Yang muttered under his breath, "It’s not my fault. His glasses just weren’t sturdy enough. Other people’s glasses don’t break when they fall, but his lenses cracked."

"You still have the nerve to argue?" The grade director’s veins were popping on his forehead.

Meanwhile, Lu Guifan sat nearby. Teacher Song had just returned from the microwave room after reheating his lunch and was urging him to eat first.

When Jiang Ruotang arrived, he caught sight of Lu Guifan’s back. The latter didn’t seem the least bit anxious, taking his sweet time eating his food—though Jiang Ruotang suspected the real reason was that he couldn’t see clearly what was in the lunchbox, hence the slowness.

The teachers were busy discussing what to do.

The grade director spoke up, "Does any teacher here have glasses with a high enough prescription? We could lend them to Lu Guifan for the afternoon math exam."

"We’ve got plenty of reading glasses here, but none with such a strong myopic prescription..."

"Then what do we do? There’s no time to get new ones now. The afternoon exam starts in just over an hour. Should we let Lu Guifan postpone the test?"

"Sigh, Lu Guifan is aiming for the scholarship. If he postpones the math exam, other students will definitely complain, and their parents will make a fuss!"

"It’s not just the scholarship—there’s also the recommended admission matter... If this escalates and people accuse us of unfairness in awarding scholarships and recommendations, it’ll be a mess..."

Listening to the teachers’ frantic discussion, Jiang Ruotang glanced toward Meng Yang.

Meng Yang was facing the English teacher’s desk, where a small hand mirror sat on the corner. Through it, Jiang Ruotang clearly saw the smirk on Meng Yang’s face.

This guy was laughing.

So it was true—even if Lu Guifan’s glasses were old and unfashionable, they had lasted for years without issue. How could they have shattered just from a bump by Meng Yang?

"Lu Guifan!" Jiang Ruotang called out.

Lu Guifan turned slowly toward the sound. The students gathered at the office door fell silent for two seconds before erupting in chatter.

"Whoa, is that still the four-eyed class president from Class 1?"

"He looks like this without glasses?"

"He’s actually pretty good-looking... could rival Bai Yingchuan from their class."

"You dare compare a four-eyes to Bai Yingchuan? Watch out, Bai Yingchuan’s fans might march over with protest signs!"

Lu Guifan seemed to completely ignore the comments, walking unhurriedly over to stand before Jiang Ruotang.

Where he had once been able to read Jiang Ruotang’s every micro-expression with ease, now everything was like seeing through fog.

"What is it?"

To others, Lu Guifan’s voice and tone sounded as indifferent as ever. Only he knew it was slightly softer than usual.

Jiang Ruotang raised his voice and addressed the teachers still debating inside, "Teacher Song, I want to take Lu Guifan to a nearby glasses store to try something!"

Teacher Song immediately stood up. "I’ll drive you there!"

Hearing this, Meng Yang shrugged and smirked mockingly. "Well, money makes the world go round. Young Master Jiang has plenty of spending money. Rush order, super rush order—what’s there to fear about getting glasses in time?"

"You’re the one who broke his glasses, so you’ll be paying for all those rush fees," Jiang Ruotang retorted coolly.

Meng Yang was left speechless. Others might not know, but Jiang Ruotang was a big spender. With him involved, who knew how much those glasses would end up costing?

Jiang Ruotang took Lu Guifan’s wrist and said softly, "Let’s go."

As they left the school building, Lin Lu, sitting by the window, was just about to close the blinds and take a quick nap when he spotted Jiang Ruotang leading Lu Guifan away.

"Since when did those two get so close?" Lin Lu muttered, baffled.

Was it really just because Jiang Ruotang deliberately asked Lu Guifan for help with basic questions every morning before the morning study period?

But someone like Lu Guifan—low EQ, terrible at sweet-talking, and completely unwilling to humor a spoiled young master—wasn’t even within Jiang Ruotang’s usual social circle.

Seriously... Jiang Ruotang was becoming harder to figure out by the day.

Once inside Teacher Song’s car, Jiang Ruotang couldn’t help but keep staring at Lu Guifan’s profile.

"Just because I can’t see clearly doesn’t mean I can’t feel you staring at me," Lu Guifan said, eyes still fixed ahead. Jiang Ruotang’s gaze was too blatant—only a corpse wouldn’t notice.

Strangely, though, Lu Guifan didn’t feel the slightest bit offended. On the contrary... that gaze carried kindness, curiosity, and goodwill.

Teacher Song joked, "Maybe Jiang Ruotang thinks you’re even more handsome than Bai Yingchuan and has decided to switch idols."

Jiang Ruotang laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "I’m just amazed! Your glasses are so important to you, and now they’re broken. This could affect your math score, your monthly exam ranking, your scholarship, even your recommended admission spot... How are you not panicking at all? A normal person would be freaking out like ants on a hot pan, in a frantic rush to fix their glasses."

Teacher Song was equally puzzled. "Yeah, Lu Guifan, you’re way too calm."

Lu Guifan replied unhurriedly, "I don’t care because it’s already happened. The worst-case scenario is just losing this year’s school scholarship and recommended admission quota.

Without the scholarship, I’ll just have fewer meat dishes in my lunch. As for the school’s recommendation, it’s only for Sheng City Jiaotong University. I can test into a better school on my own."

Jiang Ruotang studied Lu Guifan’s expression closely—this guy wasn’t faking it. He was genuinely unbothered.

"Ugh... comparing people is just depressing..." Jiang Ruotang muttered.

"But you don’t need to compare yourself to others," Lu Guifan said plainly.

"Why not? Isn’t the essence of the college entrance exam comparing scores?"

"Everyone has their own path. Your paintings are excellent—you’re miles ahead in your own lane."

Jiang Ruotang froze. He hadn’t expected Lu Guifan to compliment him, though it was probably just because Lu Guifan assumed Jiang Ruotang’s paintings being exhibited meant they were high-quality.

Even Teacher Song, gripping the steering wheel, was stunned. Was this a once-in-a-lifetime miracle? Lu Guifan actually comforting and affirming another student?

In this atmosphere, Teacher Song also smiled and said, "Jiang Ruotang, you’ve been working pretty hard this month, especially in math."

"Really?" Jiang Ruotang genuinely hadn’t expected to ever receive praise from Teacher Song.

"Though you left the last two major problems blank—didn’t even attempt them."

"Because... I just couldn’t do them. No clue where to even start. Those two problems were like an ocean, and I’m just a freshwater fish—completely out of my depth." Jiang Ruotang answered without shame.

Teacher Song chuckled and nodded. "That’s actually good. You know what you know and admit what you don’t. Before, when I flipped through everyone’s practice tests, every single question was filled in, making it impossible to tell where the real gaps were. Now it’s easy—I don’t even need to check Lu Guifan’s homework. I just pull out yours, see where your logic falters or where you went completely wrong, and then I know what to focus on in the next lesson."

Hearing this, Jiang Ruotang hadn’t expected to become Teacher Song’s "teaching benchmark" for teaching. Should he be embarrassed or take pride in it?

In less than five minutes, they arrived at the nearest optician's shop. Teacher Song showed them Lu Guifan’s shattered glasses, but as expected, the answer was the same—given the high prescription, even the fastest expedited service wouldn’t be ready until 3 p.m., an hour after the exam had already started.

Teacher Song gave Lu Guifan a troubled look.

Lu Guifan still showed no change in expression. "We've already tried everything. Teacher Song, let's hurry back so we don't delay Jiang Ruotang's exam."

Only then did Teacher Song remember Jiang Ruotang. Turning around, he saw him standing at another counter, studying something very carefully.

Just as he was about to call Jiang Ruotang's name, Jiang Ruotang tapped on the glass display. "Excuse me, do you have contact lenses in my classmate's prescription?"

"We do! But this brand is—"

Before the optician could finish, Jiang Ruotang put a finger to his lips, signaling him to stay quiet.

Teacher Song smacked his forehead. "Ah, how could I forget? If glasses aren't an option, there are always contact lenses!"

However, the teaching staff rarely paid attention to this. Most students and teachers at school wore frames, as contact lenses aren't breathable and could feel very tiring after a single class, so few used them.

The optician found Lu Guifan's prescription. "You got lucky. For such a high prescription, we usually only stock one box."

"No problem, one box is enough. It's just for the afternoon exam," Jiang Ruotang said with a smile.

These were newly released high-tech contact lenses. It was Lu Guifan's first time wearing them—daily disposables with high comfort but they're pricey.

Teacher Song hesitated. "Neither I nor Lu Guifan know how to put in contact lenses... Jiang Ruotang, do you?"

Jiang Ruotang grinned and pushed up his sleeves. "I'm a pro at this!"

He swiped his card to pay, washed his hands, dried them thoroughly, and approached Lu Guifan like he was performing surgery.

"Behave now, Class President."

Lu Guifan didn't respond but tilted his head slightly toward Jiang Ruotang.

The usually composed demeanor now seemed almost obedient.

Obedient?

Jiang Ruotang, are you crazy? Thinking Lu Guifan is obedient?

This was the same guy who confiscated the chips and cola you hid under your hospital bed without even asking!

The same devil who squeezed your fingers until they almost broke when he caught you sneaking a smoke on the hospital rooftop!

Obedient? Yeah right.

As Jiang Ruotang stepped closer, he got more nervous.

Steadying his heartbeat, he said professionally, "Class President, I'll use my fingers to hold your eyelids open. Just look upward, try not to blink, and I'll be quick."

"Okay." Lu Guifan lifted his gaze, his long lashes like the softest hooks, brushing against Jiang Ruotang's fingers, grazing the valves of his heart.

Crap. He still seemed so... obedient.

Jiang Ruotang wasn't lying—his movements were swift. Lu Guifan looked up, not showing the whites of his eyes unattractively but fixing them on Jiang Ruotang's chin.

In an instant, something cold and wet touched Lu Guifan's eyeball. The chilly liquid ran down the corner of his eye, and Jiang Ruotang's fingers wiped it away. The warmth of his fingertips clashed with the cold fluid, making Lu Guifan's nerves instantly tense. The world suddenly came into focus from a hazy glow, and the first thing Lu Guifan saw clearly was Jiang Ruotang.

Lu Guifan didn't know how to describe the sensation—as if the entire world had brightened to another level, all because of Jiang Ruotang.

"How does it feel, Class President? Any discomfort or irritation?" Jiang Ruotang asked cautiously.

Lu Guifan glanced around. "No, nothing."

The optician muttered from afar, "Of course it's comfortable. You get what you pay for."

Jiang Ruotang was thrilled and quickly inserted the other lens.

Lu Guifan blinked and surveyed the surroundings. "I can't even tell I'm wearing them."

Teacher Song thought it was amazing and pointed at the vision chart. "Can you read this line clearly?"

"Crystal clear."

Jiang Ruotang handed the glasses to the clerk, arranging for a rush order to pick them up by 6 p.m. He chose ultra-thin lenses for Lu Guifan.

As they left, Teacher Song said to Jiang Ruotang, "How much were the contact lenses? Let me reimburse you."

"No need. I'll get Meng Yang to cover it," Jiang Ruotang replied cheerfully.

"That won't do. I saw the price—it wasn't cheap. Five lenses cost over a hundred!"

"Still cheaper than a scholarship," Jiang Ruotang said with a grin.

Meanwhile, Lu Guifan stood before a mirror, looking at himself. It had been so long since he'd seen himself clearly without glasses.

So it turned out, he really did resemble Jiang Ruotang's drawing.

As if someone had seen him more clearly than he ever had himself.

The three returned to the car, and Teacher Song drove them back, figuring they could get about twenty minutes to rest before the exam.

Lu Guifan was as quiet as before, but now he was looking out the window.

The scenery he'd passed countless times on his way to school now looked so sharp it felt unfamiliar.

Or perhaps... it was like being born again.

Teacher Song occasionally glanced at Lu Guifan in the rearview mirror, thinking that Wang Fuzi, the so-called "puppy love killer," would have his hands full.

First, there was Bai Yingchuan, everyone's crush, and now Lu Guifan showing his true face—enough to captivate anyone.

Though no longer young, Teacher Song still remembered the crushes from his youth. Someone like Lu Guifan—with great grades and a handsome face—was the perfect first love material.

"Class President." Jiang Ruotang's voice spoke up.

"Hmm?" Lu Guifan turned to him.

"When I was putting in your contacts, I touched your eyelashes," Jiang Ruotang said, grinning. "They tickled."

That "ticklish" comment brushed against Lu Guifan's heart like a feather, making him clutch the fabric over his knees reflexively.

Jiang Ruotang handed him a small bottle. "If your eyes feel dry during the exam, put in a drop. But don't rub them—you might dislodge the lenses. If it gets unbearable, let the teacher know. Don't push through it."

"Mm." Lu Guifan took the bottle quietly.

"Wait for me after the exam. I'll go with you to pick up your glasses and help take out your contacts."

After thinking, Jiang Ruotang added, "And don't go picking at them yourself. You might scratch your cornea."

"Okay." Lu Guifan nodded again, creating the illusion that he was obeying Jiang Ruotang's every word.

Teacher Song kept glancing at the two in the backseat.

That these two got along so well, especially with Jiang Ruotang actively helping Lu Guifan, was something Teacher Song had never expected.

When they got out of the car, Jiang Ruotang’s testing room was on the first floor. Just as he was about to enter, Lu Guifan called out to him.

"Jiang Ruotang."

"Yeah?"

"Math… at least don’t get the parts I taught you wrong."

Jiang Ruotang grinned. "Don’t worry, what you taught me is ingrained in my mind."

Lu Guifan arrived on the third floor. As he passed by the window of the fourth testing room, he overheard people chatting inside.

"Seems like… Lu Guifan still hasn’t come back. No surprise—there’s no way his old-fashioned glasses could’ve been fixed in time."

"Speaking of which, can he even see the test paper clearly without his glasses?"

"I doubt it. Have you seen how thick his lenses are? Thick as bottle caps—his prescription must be insane!"

"Looks like the top rank in our grade is finally changing hands! Even if whoever takes it wins by technicality, at least it’s something new?"

Lu Guifan acted as if he hadn’t heard, continuing forward until he entered the first testing room.

The first testing room was where Beicheng Guangyao’s true elite students gathered. Those seated here were either future Ivy League material or had won awards in various competitions.

The atmosphere was entirely different from the other testing rooms—quiet but cutthroat.

Some examinees were reviewing notes, others listened to music through headphones, and a few rested with their heads down. It wasn’t until Lu Guifan walked in and took his seat at the front that everyone realized their top-ranked student, now without glasses, had returned, finally noticing and turning to look.

Even though his hairstyle, clothes, and build made it unmistakably Lu Guifan, the absence of those old-fashioned, rigid glasses totally changed his vibe.

A student sitting one aisle away kept sneaking glances at him.

Ye Jiaming, the eternal runner-up in the grade, returned from the restroom and froze when he saw Lu Guifan.

"You… you’re back?" Not sure how well Lu Guifan could see, Ye Jiaming waved a hand in front of him.

Lu Guifan accurately snagged his wrist and looked up. "I’m nearsighted, not blind."

His sharp gaze seemed to see straight through Ye Jiaming’s thoughts. If Lu Guifan did poorly in this math exam and lost his top rank, it would undoubtedly boost Ye Jiaming’s chances of securing a recommendation spot.

Flushing, Ye Jiaming apologized, "Sorry, sorry… It’s my first time I’ve seen you without glasses. Did you… get your glasses situation sorted out?"

"It’s handled. No need to worry."

With that, Lu Guifan released Ye Jiaming’s hand.

Ye Jiaming swallowed hard, taking in Lu Guifan’s lightly lowered eyelashes. He couldn’t help but marvel inwardly—when wearing glasses, he’d assumed Lu Guifan had a plain, sharp-featured face. Never had he imagined the real Lu Guifan’s features would be so perfectly proportioned, with such delicate angles.

If the school heartthrob Bai Yingchuan was a striking, knockout looker, then Lu Guifan’s vibe was totally different.

At first he seemed plain, but the more you looked, the more elegant and graceful he appeared.

Jian Sha was also in this testing room, about three rows away from Lu Guifan. She leaned forward, staring. Though she often called herself the "Ice Queen," indifferent to worldly desires, seeing Lu Guifan now made her sigh inwardly: *What a hidden hottie! So handsome—is this how the prince felt when he saw Cinderella?*

Song Qinghe and another teacher entered with sealed exam papers. The packets were opened, answer sheets distributed, and as the exam bell rang, the drama about Lu Guifan’s glasses was pushed to the back of everyone’s minds as they dug into their tests.

Lu Guifan was still using that same pink pen from earlier.

Maybe it was his imagination, but the ink flowed smoothly, and the pen felt comfortable in his hand.

Suddenly, he recalled Jiang Ruotang standing before him, holding a fistful of pens—goofy, like the neighbor kid who’d once offered all his lollipops just to play together.

Why had he chosen pink?

Probably because the weeping begonias his grandfather grew in the yard were this exact shade… just like his name.

Lu Guifan shook himself out of it, refocusing sharply.

The testing room was utterly silent, save for the rustling of paper and the scratching of pens.

With ten minutes still left on the clock, Lu Guifan stood up, turning in his test, answer sheet, and scratch paper.

Song Qinghe paused, concerned. "Is the contact lens bothering you? I remember Jiang Ruotang said you could use the eye drops if it’s uncomfortable?"

Lu Guifan replied, "No discomfort. This monthly exam wasn’t difficult. I finished and checked it twice."

Song Qinghe was stunned. *This kid just said the exam wasn’t hard?* This was a test the math teachers had painstakingly designed, modeled after past college entrance exams and deliberately made more challenging—all to jolt these high school seniors out of their summer complacency and remind them of the gaokao’s brutality!

And Lu Guifan called it *easy*?

Well… what do you expect from someone who’d swept national Olympiad golds in math, physics, and chemistry last semester?